The Dragon Clan
by AriEmeraldstar
Summary: Seto Kaiba always thought his past long behind him, until a letter arrives telling him of a teen in his custody. Why? She's a Kaiba too. Chaos insues when a certain blonde comes into the picture...Rated R/M for language and maybe lemons in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

(NOTE: The capitalized 'N' in some Japanese words [as used in this story is a pronunciation tool, symbolizing a harsh pronunciation and is a separate syllable [ex. ho-N-da, ko-N-ni-chi-wa, ko-N-ba-N-wa, ga-N-bat-te, sa-N which never appears at the beginning of a word. A vowel with a line above it [ex. /, ¦/§, â/ã, ﾐ/', Æ/Ç means that the sound is long and is a separate syllable on it's own – the number of syllables caused by the length of a vowel can change the entire meaning of the word. 'A' is pronounced 'ah' [ex. father, 'I' is pronounced 'ee' [ex. he, 'U' is pronounced 'oo' [ex. cool, 'E' is pronounced 'eh' [ex. bet, 'O' is pronounced 'oh' [ex. bore. A double-consonant in a word signifies a pause in pronunciation [ex. ba-t-to, po-p-pu, ki-t-te pronounced like the pause in 'uh-oh' in English [ex. pronounced like 'bat-to', 'pop-pu,' 'kit-te'. The English 'l' is replaced by 'r' [ex. blues/Bruce burãsu, the 'th' sound is replaced with 's' or 'z' [ex. third sdo, that zatto, 'v' is replaced with 'b' [ex. violin baioriN, 'f' is pronounced like 'wh' in 'what' or 'which.')

ch.1: Beginnings

3rd person

'_Beginnings...'_

Kaiba massaged his temples, sighing. Beginnings were always the hardest part; if a game didn't have a believable beginning, no matter the events which occurred after it, the rest of the story would be worthless. That was what he was trying to do now: create a beginning for a new game Kaiba Corp. was coming out with. It was especially important that this game do well, seeing as how Kaiba Corp. had only ever focused on technology to enhance games before. The chestnut-haired, sapphire-eyed CEO concentrated on the blank screen of his laptop which _should_ have been clicking away as the plot of the game emerged on the document. But Seto couldn't think of a blasted beginning, and it was making him irritable.

Into the hostile environment of his brother's study stalked Mokuba, the raven-haired younger brother of the man who sat before him. He padded softly on the plush crimson carpet, making sure not to make any sound. The younger Kaiba had always been impressed with this room, and allowed himself to admire it's handsome oaken bookshelf (filled with thick and magnificent books, though Mokuba always expected to see them gone and replaced with technology when he ventured in here; all of them were old, valuable, and much-read by Kaiba), desk (which his brother sat at), and canopy bed with golden fringes and red silk sheets (for when Kaiba worked late and did not want to return to his room). Steel-grey eyes slid over his brother, who looked more than a little worse for wear. His fingers were buried and clenched in his hair, as though he was ready to tear it out from the roots if startled, and his face was hunched towards the screen as though he was hypnotized by it. _'The stress must be getting to him,'_ Mokuba decided, _'but how hard can it be to write a story?'_ He knew he really should leave Seto alone, for the sake of his safety, but this was too important. This thick, creamy envelope threatened to destroy the balance of life as he knew it. "_Ani_?"

Kaiba whipped around, ready to lash out as whatever servant had dared intrude upon him, but stopped when he discovered that the cause of his disturbance was his _ot__­o__to._ "What is it, Mokuba?" he snarled, half at annoyance that he had been interrupted and half from pain because he had, in fact, been clenching his hair so hard that he had ripped some out.

Mokuba held the envelope and it's contents out for his brother. "Th-this came in the mail..._ani_, it can't be right, can it? What does it mean?"

Kaiba frowned – his brother rarely addressed him in Japanese, preferring to use his first name. He only did so when something greatly troubled him. "_Mi-mash__o_..." he muttered, reaching for the envelope. Whatever it was, it looked legal, and extremely formal. His quick, dexterous fingers slid under the already-open flap and pulled out more creamy, off-white paper with the thick consistency of parchment. He opened the letter, intrigued and slightly alarmed – what had been done to cause a legal letter to be sent to him? And what did it contain that disturbed his ototo so much?"

His eyes quickly skimmed the letter, ignoring all the formalities and skipping right into the details. As he read, his eyes widened and a scowl crossed his features. "You've _got_ to be shitting me..."

Mokuba shook his head. "_Wakari-maseN_..how could this happen, ani?"

Kaiba did like his brother and shook his head. "Our relatives were not dead when they dumped us at the orphanage, Mokuba." he explained, trying to wrap his own head around the fact. "This was always possible, if wildly improbable..."

"But _why_, ani? Why us?"

"Because," Kaiba said firmly, locking his brother's eyes with his own, "we are apparently the only ones left." He sighed, slumping in his chair. "Go on, Mokuba...go to bed. It's late."

"But ani"

"I said _go_, Mokuba." The younger Kaiba bowed his head, defeated, and trudged out of the room, leaving Seto to pour over the notice once more. All thoughts of the plot for his game were wiped out of his head; this information was too stunning for him to think of anything else.

According to this, his and Mokuba's father – their biological father, not that bastard Gozaburo – had not been an only child, as Kaiba had always believed. He'd had a sister, one which Kaiba never remembered meeting; but apparently, she was on bad terms with the rest of the family, seeing as she had lived on the island of Kyushu, further south than Domino's location on the main island of Honshu, in a small city just outside of Kitakyãshã called Kenoshu. After their father's death, this supposed aunt had little to do with the family. It was plausible, Kaiba decided; only just so, but plausible. Mokuba had been far too young to remember much of anything when their father died, and Kaiba had paid little attention to the members of his extended family. These records implied that this woman, Cairina, had taken a husband in Kenoshu, a foreign businessman named Artemis, and they had conceived a child – a child who was technically his and Mokuba's cousin, though the connection was distant. He doubted this child had grown up ever knowing that she had relatives in Japan beyond her mother.

They had not been a wealthy family, as Artemis grew fond of sake soon after their marriage, and proceeded to drink himself and Cairina into massive debt. He'd also abused Cairina alarmingly often, beating her mercilessly as well as forcing her into sexual actions with him. Kenoshu was an ultraconservative Christian city (which was unusual in Japan, but not entirely unheard of), and had refused to break the marriage upon Cairina's numerous requests. When she became pregnant, he had left her, considering any woman who allowed herself to get pregnant when her husband forcibly had sex with her worthless. She had died giving birth to the child, whom Artemis refused to take and stranded on the streets in the city's worst district. Though she had been taken in by a woman who looked after many left fated to die on the streets and received a surprisingly good education, she had still legally been under Artemis' care, until he had, as of two weeks before the date on the letter, driven his car off the edge of the pier while drunk and drowned.

Kaiba glanced at his calender – the notice had taken another two weeks to reach him, apparently the only surviving blood relative of this girl, besides Mokuba. By this reasoning, this girl – who was already seventeen and probably perfectly capable of looking after herself – had been placed in his custody. _'_Kuso_...'_ he swore in his head. _'Kuso, kuso, kuso...what the hell am I going to do with a seventeen year-old street rat?!'_ He glanced again at the paper; it stated that she was already on her way to Domino, on board a passenger ship which had left port three days ago because this was the beginning of summer – in other words, tourist season – and a plane ticket had been unable to be procured. She was expected in Domino on the 18th of June – the day after tomorrow, Kaiba realized as he looked at his calender again. _'So much for giving me – or her – any say in the matter.'_ he grumbled in his head, scanning the notice for this girl's name, as Cairina had lived just long enough to bestow that upon her daughter. _'Her last name should have been changed to Kaiba, now that I'm her legal guardian,'_ he realized as he searched. When he found it, he became intrigued – not only were her first and middle names given (he had been correct in his assumption that her last name had been changed to his), but also a common nickname among her peers. _"...Krystal Reiko Kaiba, also known simply as 'Kazery__uu__' to those who knew only her face..."_ Kaiba couldn't help but give a small snort; it seemed fitting that this girl be known as 'The Wind Dragon,' considering his affinity with the Blue Eyes, who's white color almost implied that they were not mere holograms, nor even as real as flesh and blood, but creations of the wind itself in all it's elemental power.

He wondered if she were any good at Duel Monsters. Probably not, considering her upbringing had most likely held little time for gaming. He was still sorely vexed that he was being forced to take in someone whom he would, under any other circumstances, consider far beneath even the mutt Jonouchi's station, however, and crushed the paper mercilessly in his hands as he cursed. _'Damn everything to hell.'_

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Ani: plain form of 'big brother', used when talking to or about one's own sibling – as opposed to the formal 'on§-saN', used to talk about someone else's big brother

Ototo: plain form of 'little brother', used when talking to or about one's own sibling – as opposed to the formal 'otÇto-saN', used to talk about someone else's little brother

Mi-masho: Let's see it

Wakari-maseN: I don't understand

Kuso: from what I can tell, it's just a general, all-purpose curse word, but it's generally taken to mean 'shit' from what I've seen


	2. Chapter 2: Enter, Wind Dragon

A.N. Hey there! Sorry I couldn't say anything before the first chapter – my technological illiteracy is so stunningly pathetic that I actually had to ask Jou-san if he'd do it… +sweatdrops+ Anyway, since I didn't get to say it before, welcome to the first solo fic I've done on this site! I really hope everyone likes it, and I also hope all you readers are kind enough to tell me how much (or how little – I'm being realistic here) you liked it. Enjoy!

ch.2: Enter, Wind Dragon

3rd person

A lone girl stood on the deck of the ship, seemingly immune to the afternoon sun's harsh brightness as she stared intently ahead. When a port finally came into view, she gripped the rail tightly, leaning slightly over it. At last, for better or worse, she had arrived.

"Ms. Kaiba!" a sticky-sweet, slightly taunting voice trilled on the wind.

It took Krystal a moment to realize that it was she who was being called, and turned, seeing one of the other passengers striding up to her. This was the captain's daughter, a tall, curvy, blonde-haired and brown-eyed girl Krystal's own age who flirted with every man on board, no matter their age. She was a stark contrast to Krystal, who's rebellious black hair was tied in a ponytail in the middle of her head to expose her piercing dark blue eyes. She had no curves to speak of, unlike this girl, and was grateful – they would only get in the way when she needed to fight or run. Remarkably, despite her rough upbringing, her face was unmarked by scars or broken bones; her face seemed too kind and delicate for her lifestyle, though her mouth was set in a stubborn line. She crossed her arms, wondering what this narcissist possibly wanted with her. "What, Arisu?"

Arisu's darkly tanned skin, acquired from spending so much time on her father's boat, seemed to set of the dazzling smile of her perfectly bleached teeth. "I just wanted to say goodbye." she said, mocking sadness as her white skirt and sleeveless shirt fluttered in the breeze, her sandals slapping the deck every time she moved her feet.

"And good riddance." Krystal replied, standing firm in her dark blue jeans, white running shoes, and grey shirt with black three-quarter sleeves.

"Now, now, Krissie, be nice." Arisu scolded, again with a condescending tone in her voice. Krystal shuddered – she _hated_ that nickname! "Haven't I been just the nicest person to you? Wasn't it me who convinced Daddy to let you on board in the first place?"

Krystal thought she might be sick if she stayed in this girl's presence any longer. "I need to get my bag." she snarled through clenched teeth, glaring up at Arisu in a direct challenge. Without waiting for a response, Krystal shoved past her, storming off towards her cabin. However, before she made it out of earshot, she heard a muttered "freak," as Arisu walked away as well.

Krystal's hands shook – she wasn't a freak! She just hadn't grown up with everything handed to her, like Arisu had. Testament to that was her bag: a small, worn backpack which held nothing more than a few sets of clothes, personal hygiene essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, and deodorant), and one of the two mementos she had been given upon her departure from Kenoshu. The other hung around her neck, hidden under her shirt. She wondered vaguely if there would be someone to pick her up, and how she'd recognize them if there was. She doubted there wouldn't be – the ship wasn't early or anything, and she wouldn't possibly be allowed to wander the city by herself.

Apparently, though, that's what she would have to do. The ship had docked and passengers were getting off, but no one had come forward to claim her yet. She grew annoyed, feeling like she was no more than a forgotten piece of luggage. _'Some punctuality this Kaiba guy has, forgetting to come! And I'm _related_ to him?'_ She growled softly, forcing herself to settle down and be patient. Maybe traffic was bad and he was running late, or something. She glanced at a large clock which stood near the end of the pier; it read twelve noon.

By one o'clock, Krystal was thoroughly fed up. It was obvious that no one was coming. Growling, she snatched up her bag, slung it over one shoulder, and stalked off down the pier.

A harsh buzzing startled Kaiba out of his unplanned nap, almost causing him to fall over in his chair. Gods, he was out of it, he realized as the indentations in his face from the keyboard slowly filled themselves out. He still hadn't gotten a beginning for his game, and now he had a headache.

He glared at the clock, smacking it rather harder than was necessary to shut it off. It had merely been proclaiming the hour – three o'clock. Kaiba frowned. Why did he feel as though he'd forgotten something? Something he should have done at noon or so...

His eyes widened. _"Kuso!!!"_ he snarled, practically leaping from his seat before bellowing for Mokuba.

The summons crashed from his mouth, almost seeming to reverberate in the large room. Thick as the walls and doors were, the entire house felt like it shook from the force. Mokuba poked his head in the door just as the last syllable of his name left his brother's mouth. "What is itani?"

"Get some shoes on and tell Reginald to get ready." Reginald was the chauffeur, one of Kaiba's oldest and most loyal servants. "We've got to hurry – Krystal arrived three hours ago!

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Well, there was chapter two! I swear I'll try and figure out how to fix all the errors in chapter one, but for now, onward! Reviewers get brownies, flames will be used in place of my own to roast marshmallows, and people who didn't like it but review politely anyway get extra chocolate brownies!


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

A.N. Hello again! I'm sorry I haven't been able to look at reviews that I've gotten for this lately – blame my insane band schedule. Oh, and since I forgot to do this for the first two chapters like the stupid idiot I am,

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and am not profiting economically from this fanfiction. Kazuki Takahashi is Yu-Gi-Oh's true owner – if I owned it…well, let's just say that it would be rated TV 14 at LEAST. I'll leave it to you to guess why. ;)

There! Disclaimer is finally up! Now, enjoy chapter three!

Thanks to Saru for posting this chapter for me

Ch.3: Revelations

Krystal slumped down onto a bench, glancing towards the large clock tower which loomed among some skyscrapers – it read three o'clock. Though Krystal had unusually good instincts when it came to cities, she had to admit that she was about as lost as it was possible for her to be. _'By the gods, I _wish_ someone had thought to give me an address!'_ she thought angrily, surveying her surroundings with an irritated glare. She seemed to be in a shopping district, except for the fact that most of them were game and accessory stores. The one nearest to her, which she sat in front and just to the left of had a large turtle on its roof, which held a sign proclaiming the building as the Kame Game shop. It consisted of two stories, the top looking more like it was used as a place of residence for the storekeeper.

Krystal sighed as an old, slightly rotund man in denim overalls and an orange bandana walked out of the store behind her, a broom in hand, and began sweeping the area in front of his store. _'Now what?'_ she wondered, letting herself slip down further into the seat. She couldn't just keep wandering – this place was _hot_ in the afternoon, and she hadn't brought any water. In vain, she looked around again, wishing bitterly that a map of the city had escaped her notice before. As she expected, there was nothing to be seen. She couldn't help but let a small growl escape her throat.

The old man in the overalls looked at her, startled by the harsh, almost guttural sound which had emerged from her. Krystal vaguely registered the fact that he regarded her with violet eyes before he spoke in a kindly voice, "Is something wrong?"

Krystal huffed, not wanting to admit that she was lost, even though this man seemed nice enough. However, she was rapidly running out of options, and this guy certainly didn't _look_ dangerous. _'I suppose I can always take him if he turns out to be a pervert or something,'_ she thought with a sigh as she rose back into a full sitting position. "I'm afraid...that I'm lost." she replied resentfully.

"Ah, I see." the man said slowly, rubbing the beard on his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you look pretty worn out – would you like to come in? My grandson and his friends should be back soon – they're about your age, and know the city better than I do. In fact," he said, looking to the left past her down the street, "here they come now."

Krystal followed his gaze to see a group of teens around her age walking down the street. One was extremely short, but his spiked hair seemed to be in a similar style to the old man's, albeit in three colors – this must be his grandson. Beside him, like flanked guards, walked two very tall boys, one blonde, and one brunette. The blonde seemed a little long and lanky, while the brunette seemed to have a little more butch about him. Beside him was another tall, long male, this one with long black hair tied back in a ponytail with a wraparound headband keeping his bangs out of his eyes; beside the blonde strode another brunette, a girl this time, of average height. Slightly behind her was another average-sized boy, though he looked as though he was built like a stick, with long white hair that only just seemed manageable. He was clad in dark blue jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt under a black vest with a gray lining, while the brunette male wore nearly the same, except that he wore a full brown jacket over his shirt. _'How cane he stand this heat in a jacket?'_ Krystal wondered, eyeing the other teens, who were much more decoratively clad than their companions. The brunette girl wore a short pink top which revealed just a little of her toned stomach and had the word 'spirit' written across her ample chest in black. She also wore a black choker, a black miniskirt with a silver buckle, and pink boots which went up almost to her knees – Krystal thought they were called go-go boots or something, but she wasn't sure. The black-haired one looked almost like a hippie; he wore tight leather pants which did not leave much to the imagination, black boots, and a black sleeveless top under an open red vest. He also had what looked like a single die hanging from one ear, a thick, fitted bracelet on each of his wrists, and two thinner arm bands just below each of his shoulders. The man's grandson also wore similar bands on his shoulders, but they were black, and looked like cord. Again like the black-haired teen, this grandson also wore a black sleeveless top, though his seemed looser. His pants and boots were navy blue, and he wore something gold and pyramidal on a chain around his neck. It seemed familiar, somehow, though Krystal couldn't place it.

The blonde intrigued her, however. He wore a short-sleeved orange shirt with a Route 66 label on it, over a larger short-sleeved red shirt, and coupled with faded blue jeans. As they came closer, she saw that he wore a small crystal sword on a black cord as a necklace. But it wasn't his clothes that caught her attention – it was his demeanor. The way he walked, with such a casual saunter, the almost feral gleam she saw hidden beneath a look of enjoyment in eyes she now saw to be a beautiful shade of golden-russet – it was all as familiar to her as everything else here was alien. It was the walk and the look of someone used to being on the streets, or someone who fought for reasons other than to see others hurt. She should know – in Kenoshu, she'd had that exact same walk and, she was sure, look in her eyes.

Against her better judgment, Krystal felt herself relax slightly. This guy was one of her breed – surely she could trust him, above anyone else. It was an unspoken creed among those for whom no others cared – never betray one of your own, and always help them when you can.

"Hey, grandpa!" the spike-haired boy greeted enthusiastically when the group reached his grandfather. His round, violet eyes, so much like his _ojii-saN_'s((1)), twinkled and shone merrily. "Who's this?"

Krystal stood, opening her mouth, but the old man beat her to it. "She says she's lost. Can you help her?"

Without warning, the blonde slung his arm over her shoulder and jostled her playfully. "No problem! Anywhere in this city a pretty girl like you needs to go, just call me, Jonouchi Katsuya! I'll have you there in no time!" Krystal presently grew awkward...pretty girl? There had to be some mistake. But, besides the brunette girl, there were no other females present. Confused, Krystal looked back up at the boy Jonouchi – _'Gods, he's tall!'_ she marveled_ – _who smirked and winked at her. Unconsciously, a blush rose in her cheeks and she turned away. Maybe she'd misjudged this guy...

"Jou!" the brunette girl snapped. "Stop teasing her!" Jonouchi grinned sheepishly and removed his arm, much to Krystal's relief, as the girl rolled her blue eyes. "Don't worry about him, he's just one of the biggest idiots you'll ever meet."

"I am not – !"

"Jou, please, be _quiet_, for once." the black haired male sighed, mimicking the girl's action with his impossibly green eyes. The other brunette agreed, rather loudly.

The man's grandson shook his head. "Don't mind any of them," he told Krystal, "they're always like this. What's your name?"

Already being around these people was giving Krystal a headache, but it was a good kind of headache – like the kind people get when they're around a very young child that, deep down, they really do love despite all the screaming and annoying antics. "Krystal." she replied, secretly pleased that she'd finally found someone she didn't have to look up at. "What about you?"

"I'm Yugi." the boy replied. "Jou already introduced himself, but that's Honda and Otogi," he gestured to the brunette, who, now that he was closer, Krystal saw had his hair spiked in an unusual point towards the front of his head, and the black-haired hippie looking one, "and Anzu, and Ryou." he finished, indicating the girl and the white-haired boy who, so far, had remained silent. "This is my grandfather, Mutoh Sugoroku. Grandpa, did you invite her in?"

"I did, for your information. You all showed up before I could get an answer." the elder Mutoh replied as the rest of the teenagers trickled inside. "Would you like to?"

Again Krystal paused. _'It _would_ be nice to get out of this heat...'_ She bowed slightly towards him. "Yes, please."

Sugoroku waved a hand. "No need to be so formal. Now, come on."

Slowly, Krystal followed the group into the store, looking curiously around. It was small, but neat and obviously well-kept. Board and specialty games lined the walls, while packets of collectible cards lay inside the glass case which doubled as the counter. In the back right corner stood a door, and beside it was a flight of stairs which doubled back on itself on it's journey to the upper story. They were so out of the way that Krystal was convinced that this kid – _'Yugi, was it?'_ – lived up there with his grandfather. At the moment, however, she allowed herself to savor the feel of the air conditioner on her hot skin; the sensation was almost sinfully pleasurable.

"You want something to drink?" Yugi offered, looking up at her. "We have tea, or soda..."

Krystal shook her head. "Water, thanks." Yugi smiled, then went to take orders from his other friends as they began heading up the stairs. _'He's sweet.'_ Krystal decided. _'Like a little kid...a very polite little kid.'_ She hesitated only a moment, then began to follow the rest of the group up the stairs.

"Why don't you kids stay in the living room?" Sugoroku suggested before the teens could vanish up the stairs. "It'll be cooler down here, and I'll be able to hear what she has to say, too."

The general consensus agreed, and filtered back down the stairs and through the door beside them. Krystal now saw that the store was only a small part of the larger structure; this door led to a cozy living room, which led into a small dining area and kitchen. Along with drinks, Sugoroku also brought out various snack foods, and soon everyone but Krystal was munching on them enthusiastically. "Not hungry." she muttered when anyone asked her why she wasn't eating.

"Aw, lighten up, Krystal!" Yugi exclaimed when she turned down the food. "You're among friends – you don't have to act so formal, and we're not gonna attack you or anything. It's perfectly all right for you to eat."

'_I've known you for less than ten minutes and already we're 'friends'?_' Krystal wondered skeptically. Still, she didn't want to be rude – she picked up a couple chips and munched slowly on them.

Jonouchi eyed her all the while, as though there was something about her that he could relate to, or wanted to figure out. She had the air of someone with no home, or friends. Jonouchi knew that side of life – he knew it very well. "Where ya from, Krys?" he asked when she was done chewing.

Krystal looked at him in surprise, partly because she hadn't expected him to address her, and partly because of the name he had called her. "Krys...?"

"Well, yeah." Jonouchi said, shrugging. "Your name's Krystal, so you're Krys for short, right?"

Krystal shrugged. "Not before now." she said honestly, turning over the new name in her mind – she rather liked it, she decided. "I'm from a city called Kenoshu, down on Kyushu, to answer your question."

Jou nodded, growing more convinced that his suspicion was correct. "So who're ya looking for?"

Krystal blinked – either this boy was inquisitive by nature, which did not seem to fit her impression of him, or he had guessed she had not previously lived in such a stable home environment and was trying to be polite about it. "My cousin...well, supposed cousin. I wasn't given an address."

Again, Jou nodded – his guess had been right – but this time he did not say anything further. That was Yugi, and Jou winced when he heard the shorter boy's statement – not that anyone but him (with the possible exception of Honda) would guess why.

"Well, that seems kinda stupid of your parents, for sending you here to your cousin without any way to find him. And it's really irresponsible of your cousin, too, for not picking you up or sending someone to, or something like that."

Krystal also winced, though only slightly. "Yeah...it was irresponsible of him." she finally muttered, taking a long sip.

"So who is he?" Otogi asked, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

Krystal shook her head. "All I know is a name – Kaiba."

Dead silence crashed upon the room's occupants, each of them freezing in place, some with food halfway to their mouths. Sugoroku actually choked slightly on his tea, coughing raggedly until he regained control of his throat.

"No way...no _way!"_ Honda finally burst out. "Kaiba never had any relatives! They're all _dead!"_

"All, apparently, except me." Krystal snarled.

Jonouchi simply sat there, staring at her. Sure, he'd thought her eyes reminded him a _little_ of Kaiba, but he hadn't really seen the resemblance until now, when they carried only a look of irritation and contempt. He should know – he'd been on the receiving end of that look courtesy of Kaiba for years. He looked a little harder at her, trying to see other resemblances. Her hair was long, full, and tousled, like Mokuba's, but this was Japan – black hair was not exactly the rarest trait. Her scowl, however, was a mirror image of Kaiba's, and she also seemed to be built along the same slender, lithe lines as the CEO, even if she was noticeably shorter. _'It...it can't be...but it is...'_

"So that's how I ended up here." Jou blinked – he had missed Krystal's explanation as to how she had come to be wandering the city and chanced upon this store. She leaned back, looking intently at her audience. "Now, what's got you lot all fired up about him?"

Another awkward silence passed over the group. "Kaiba's been my rival for years." Yugi finally said quietly. "He's the self-proclaimed best duelist in the world, and he has the skill to back it up."

"He's a gaming master." Sugoroku said, as tense as his grandson. "But he is obsessed with winning, and cares nothing for his opponent or his cards."

"I see..." Krystal sighed, closing her eyes calmly. A casual, pensive expression spread over her face, as though she were meditating or had fallen asleep. "Then he probably wouldn't approve of me hanging out with you guys, huh?"

"Probably not." Anzu admitted almost sadly, nodding.

Krystal smirked, an expression with instantly conveyed trouble, and let out a soft 'heh' sound. _'How about some payback, Kaiba?'_ she thought, opening her eyes. "In that case," she said slowly, "I think I'll be staying an hour or so, if you don't mind." Almost everyone's mouth split into a grin, and the mood became instantly more relaxed. Even Ryou, who seemed unusually stoic among such talkative friends, was pleased, Krystal saw, and allowed her smirk to widen. _'This place could actually be fun.'_

((1)) Ojii-saN: respectful version of 'grandfather,' used when speaking to or about someone else's grandfather

Chapter Three is now up! I hope everyone who took the time to read will leave me a review – I allow anonymous ones! And I still have plenty of brownies for you all! Suggestions for the plot are welcome as well – I want to hear from you!


	4. Chapter 4: First Impressions

Hello again all my wonderful readers! I don't actually know how many of you there are, since only two people have been reviewing this, but that's beside the point – welcome to chapter four! I'm REALLY sorry this is so late – there's just a whole lot of crap going on, and I'm sad to say that I barely have time to write anymore, what with band and my newbie director whom I hate with a passion, preparing for college, and senior life…it's just a mess. I'll be better at updating in the future, though!

Saru did it again! **(Yay me!)**

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own it. Wish I did, but I don't.

ch.4: First Impressions

3rd person

Seto swore eloquently as he passed another corner with no sign of a girl he'd never seen who looked even vaguely lost. It was getting close to seven o'clock – he'd been searching the entire gods-damned city of Domino for this girl for nearly four hours, and she _still_ hadn't revealed herself. _'Domino's not that big a place...so where in the seven hells could she be?!'_

"Seto?"

Kaiba sighed, trying in vain to get rid of his anger and remain patient. "What?"

Mokuba sat calmly in his seat, staring almost blankly out of the window. "What if this girl...our _itoko_...what if she doesn't _want_ to be found?"

Kaiba sat back, pondering this new possibility. _'Think,'_ he told himself. _'Put yourself in her shoes...what would you do?'_ He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and before long felt his mind calm and sink into a calm, logical state. Krystal probably had resented being shipped off like this to someone she didn't even know. Assuming she had not simply skipped the boat, it was logical that she'd try and go into the city proper, where, having spent her life the way she had, she would probably feel most comfortable. She probably figured that, eventually, she would be found – Domino really _wasn't_ a huge city. The only logical thing Kaiba could see anyone doing was to use that time to their advantage; most likely, she'd try and find out everything about him that she could – his looks, his likes, his dislikes, why his name was given to a multi-billion yen corporation...

So, given this most likely course of events, what would she do?

Kaiba thought he had a pretty good idea – she'd go to the last place he'd look to find her. She'd find out where he lived, and go straight to his house. She'd bank on the fact that he would be out scouring the streets for her, and, if she could, hide in plain sight. "Reginald," he said to his driver, "take us home."

"Yes, sir, Master Seto."

Krystal glanced up at a clock, still at Yugi's house, and yelped. _'Eight?! I didn't want to stay _this _long!'_ Hurriedly, she stood, interrupting the talk she'd been participating in (having to do with the history of ancient Egypt, on which Krystal was a self-proclaimed expert – the main speakers had been herself, Yugi, and Ryou) with a curse. "I need to leave! Now!" She raced for the door, scooping up her bag as she left, and barely remembered that she had not been given directions to Kaiba's.

"Krys, wait!" someone – it sounded like Jonouchi – called, running after her and trying to catch up. But as soon as she was out of the main door, she swerved right...and vanished. Jou skidded to a stop inside the doorway, trying to see her, but he couldn't even hear her running footsteps anymore.

Krystal ran a good distance before her legs insisted that she stop – she'd spent years building up her wind and endurance, but this was an unfamiliar city to her, and that meant she had to waste breath down dead ends, wrong turns, and finding her way around in general. She paused at the entrance to an alleyway, panting heavily and resisting the urge to double over. Slowly, she reached up, feeling for the coolness of the jewelry under her shirt before pulling it out into the open and clutching it – she always felt..._recharged_, whenever she held it.

'It' was a pendant, about four inches long and shaped like a fang, or a claw, with a base about two inches in diameter and a wickedly sharp point on the other end. It was made of solid gold – _real,_ pure gold – and had an eye sculpted in relief about an inch and a half across sat in the exact center of both the diameter and the length. The small crests and patterns of the eye seemed to radiate a soothing coolness, filling her lungs with oxygen, as it pressed snugly into her palm.

Krystal's breathing slowed, regulated. Refreshed, she was about to slip it back under her shirt when a bit of light glinted off the eye on the pendant, catching Krystal's attention. Frowning, she took a closer look, running her fingers gently over the long-familiar patterns of the eye – the only flaw in the smooth, seamless surface. _'This eye...it's the same symbol that was on Yugi's pendant. What did he call that inverted pyramid-looking thing? The...Millennium Puzzle?'_ She sighed, shaking her head as she slipped her own pendant under her shirt. _'At least now I know why his pendant looked so familiar..they must be part of a set of some sort. But this was supposedly one-of-a-kind...'_ Again, Krystal shook her head. Now was not the time to be comparing jewelry; if she didn't find Kaiba's soon, she'd have much more pressing matters to deal with – where in this city she could sleep with relative safety, for instance. _'Worst-case scenario, I could always go back to Yugi's, I guess...provided I can find my way back, of course...'_

She raised her head, surveying her surroundings. It seemed that she had crossed over into an upper-class part of the city; the homes were immensely bigger, and a tad more grandiose than the modest homes she had been skirting. They had large, well-kept lawns, and made sure that they stood out from the norm. A mile or so away, on the top of a large hill, Krystal could see a gap in the stars in the shape of a huge mansion. Krystal took a deep breath, preparing to step out again. It was getting late, and she didn't know the city at all – the smartest move would be to try and find the Mutoh's shop again and apologize for running off like that before asking if she could steal a couch for the night.

A sleek, powerful-looking black car glided silently past on the street, causing Krystal to jump back, quickly hiding herself in the shadows once more. It was going rather slowly, she noted, and poked her head out slightly to watch it as it drove off, making it's way further into the district she had wandered into. _'I wonder where it's going...'_ On a whim, Krystal began tailing it, skirting well-lit areas, sticking to the shadows as much as possible, not making herself seen, but always keeping the car in sight. As it led her deeper into territory she otherwise would have avoided at all costs, the shadows she relied on for coverage slowly became fewer, and less dark...soon she would be entirely exposed. _'Why's this car going in so far...there's hardly any houses left...'_ Krystal wondered, keeping one eye on the vehicle and one eye on her surroundings. _'It's probably heading for that mansion.'_ she grumbled in her head. _'This is bad...soon, I'll be reduced to hiding behind trash cans and against the walls. So why am I still following it?'_ Hesitations aside, Krystal continued to trail the car. However, it soon became clear that Krystal's suspicion was correct – it was heading towards the mansion. Still, she kept going, tailing it all the way up to the intricate cast-iron gate – the entrance to the mansion's grounds.

There, she stopped, ducking below a column and peering around it slowly as the vehicle's occupants emerged – their silhouettes were clearly visible to her in the light of the lamps which sat atop the columns she hid under. Krystal frowned. _'Only three people in a car that big?'_ She shook her head. There was no accounting for the ways of rich people, she supposed. One of them was almost obscenely tall, standing at six and a half feet at _least_, but they were also very slender, and she could see that it was a toned, muscled kind of slender. They were dressed in a long, cloak-like jacket which flapped and cracked like a flag, even in the gentle wind. The second form was of average height, and seemed to be the chauffeur. The third Krystal supposed to be related to the tall figure, for though it seemed like the form of one younger than she, Krystal could see that the person was going to become as tall as the other figure, someday. Krystal rose slowly, making sure to keep herself pressed against the pillar. There was nothing more to do here – she had followed these people for nothing.

As her shoulder slid up the stone, it encountered something that was distinctly _not_ stone – a round metal place, with a name on it. _Kaiba_.

Krystal stared at it a moment, then looked back up towards the figures near the building. _'No way...this _can't_ be right!'_ The shock of it all was enough to cause Krystal to slump against the stone for support. There was no _way_ a rich guy like this was related to her! And even if they were, there was even _less_ of a chance of their willingly taking in a person off the streets such as herself, legalities or no!

Still...this was the man whom she'd set out to find. It was obvious he'd been out looking for her – the smallest of the figures appeared to be almost asleep on his feet – so that must mean he cared slightly for her well-being, if only because of legal matters.

Krystal eyed them again. She'd have to do it, one way or another – she'd have to go up there and face him. She might as well do it with her head held high. Krystal Kaiba was many things – but a coward was not one of them.

Kaiba allowed his eyes to scan the grounds as Mokuba emerged, yawning widely enough that, once, his jaw cracked. Nothing...there was no sign of her. Kaiba only just kept a frustrated growl from escaping his throat. Had he been wrong in his guess?

A sharp gasp came from behind him, and Kaiba turned his head sharply – Mokuba was the source of the sound. "Seto...look." he said incredulously, pointing almost shakily back down towards the gate.

Seto looked; a figure had appeared beside one of the columns which flanked the gate – he could see it clearly in the lamp's light. It was a girl, but a girl with Mokuba's hair, tied back. She was a bit runty, but even from a distance, Kaiba could see the similarities in body shape and even posture between himself and the girl. She seemed to be staring right back at them, though she stood still just outside the gate. He spoke but three words:

"Open the gate."

Reginald bowed slightly before reaching back into the car to press a button much like that of a garage-door opener, except that this one, in fact, opened the gate. As the ironwork swung silently inwards, the girl followed it with measured steps – confident, but wary at the same time, as if she were entering a seeping dragon's den.

Kaiba strode forward to meet her, his blue trenchcoat billowing behind him as the wind pushed his hair back across his face and into his eyes. But his pace did not slow, and soon, he and the girl stood face-to-face. Up close, he noticed, she really was _much_ shorter than he, and was not even much taller than Mokuba (who, at age twelve, already stood at five feet tall and was still growing). But any doubts he may have had about their relation quickly vanished when his own eyes gazed at him from her face. "Are you Krystal?" he asked in an impassive, authoritative voice; the voice he inadvertently used whenever he met someone he didn't know – the voice which he used to intimidate whomever he was speaking with and dominate the conversation. It was a tone he'd spent years perfecting.

"Yessir." Krystal replied, nodding as she took out the papers she had carried with her for over a month. "Are you Kaiba?"

"I am."

She held the papers out to him. "I was told to give these to you."

Kaiba took the papers, casting one eye over it (it didn't tell him anything he didn't already know) while examining Krystal with the other. _'Jeans that are too big, a baggy black sweatshirt, also too big, sneakers that actually seem to fit right, a small, patched bag of belongings...'_ Kaiba sighed internally as he put the papers away inside his coat. There was no backing out now. "Let's go inside. You'll meet my otto, Mokuba." he said, turning away and beginning to walk back up toward the house.

"Yessir."

Kaiba turned an eye to her as she began following him. "Do you call everyone 'sir'?"

Krystal shook her head. "No...but it seems appropriate now." Her remark was met with a small snort.

"We're family, are we not? You may call me by my first name – Seto. Mokuba does, so you might as well, too."

"Yessi – yes, Seto."

Kaiba smiled. She caught on quick. Mokuba soon fell into step with them after Reginald had retreated another way for his rooms in the servant's wing. The two of them seemed to get on well enough, and Mokuba took up the task of explaining the basics of life in the Kaiba house.

Krystal couldn't help but be awed by the sheer size of the Kaiba mansion – this one structure was easily larger than any building in Kenoshu, if not any taller than some of the churches. "Do you really need so many rooms?" She forced her legs to follow the other two strolling in front of her.

"A lot of these rooms are specially made so Seto can work in them" Mokuba replied, as if it were the most commonplace fact in the world.

Krystal looked back up at the approaching building. It still awed her...the way the building somehow managed to make her spine shiver. "So...what does Seto do for a living?"

"Kaiba Corp. makes virtual reality computer and video games." Seto stated bluntly from in front of her.

'_How modest he is...'_ Krystal grumbled to herself, still trying to take everything in...an effort that wasn't going very well at all.

"For now you'll have to share Mokuba's room." Seto said as the group entered the building. "You'll get your own room tomorrow evening, but for tonight, that will have to do." Krystal nodded, trying to stop herself from gaping as she took in the interior decor.

The main foyer was floored with white marble, and the walls were also painted white; straight ahead was the entrance to what looked like a living room with a warmer color scheme. Curling down from the upper storey was an intricate staircase with wooden railings similar to those which lined the indoor balcony which the stairs formed. The fact that this room's roof was two storeys high, instead of just one, added even more to the sense of space and presence of the room.

So awed was she by this splendor that she almost missed Kaiba's comment to her: "I want to speak with you before you go to sleep." Then, without even a 'good night,' he walked off into the depths of his home.

"Come on, Krystal." Mokuba called, starting up the stairs, which were carpeted in white. Krystal followed him, gazing around at the simple-yet-grand decor. Mokuba led her through several hallways, up another flight of stairs, and past countless doorways before he finally stopped. "Here it is. Come on in – you can set your stuff down before you go and talk to Seto."

Krystal couldn't help but smiling as she entered Mokuba's room; it was exactly what the room of a boy his age _should_ look like, she guessed. There was a desk in one corner, and the comforter on the bed was blue and patterned with chiibi versions of white dragons. A plushie of the same dragon sat proudly by his pillows, it's blue bead eyes surveying it's domain. A nightstand stood beside the bed, and atop it was a phone; a high-tech looking computer adorned the desk, along with photos and other trinkets. ((07/03/07)) She nodded before setting her bag down on the floor and proceeding back the way she had come.

Seto was waiting for her at the foot of the main stairway. "This way."

Krystal stood in place for a moment, eyeing the slick marble floors and wiggling her toes slightly in her socks. If she was careful, there was no reason that she would slip...

"Are you coming or not?"

Krystal scowled, stepping off the carpeted stairway to follow him. _'A little patience wouldn't go amiss with this guy.'_ she thought as he made his way into a smaller, den-like room. He apparently didn't use it much, as there was only a relatively clean desk and a few armchairs to take up space. Seto sat in one of these armchairs, and motioned for her to do the same.

An awkward silence settled between the two of them, and Krystal began to shift uneasily in her seat. "So...what did you want to talk about?"

Seto gazed at her calmly from his chair, looking for all the world like a king on his throne. "You." he finally replied. "I was given only a basic outline of your history, concerning only the events which caused you to come here.. Therefore, I'll start simply. What is the extent of your formal schooling?"

'_Man, this guy sure doesn't waste time getting to the point when he actually _does _talk.'_ "Because of Artemis's prominence in the city's economy," she said with the usual scowl that accompanied thoughts of her father, "I was enrolled into schools I wouldn't have been able to get into otherwise." Again, she scowled, hating the fact that she was indebted to that man so deeply. "They were all religious schools, though – Kenoshu was a city built in the seventeenth century as a refuge for persecuted Catholics – but to give a straight answer, I'm in the twelfth grade."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, curious. Catholics _had_ been persecuted in Japan in the seventeenth century, when the 'closed-door' policy had come into play until the American Perry had forced them to open up to diplomatic relations. "How could a city be built as a haven for Catholics in the seventeenth century?" he wondered aloud.

"Kenoshu's fairly hidden; it's shielded on three sides by pretty inhospitable mountains, and on the fourth side's the Korean Strait." Krystal snorted. "That isolation's allowed religious fervor to spread unchecked in the city for centuries."

Kaiba nodded, slightly impressed that she knew so much about her city's history. "I take it that, by your tone, you yourself are not very religious?"

Krystal sighed. "I believe in _something_," she said, "but I don't think it necessarily _has_ to be God – or even just one god. I mean, what kind of God doesn't even let you learn about what others have believed or believe right now? What kind of God has so firmly convinced His people that He is right that some of them won't even allow science – _any_ science – to be taught to their children in schools? And does it _have_ to be Christianity? Can't it just as easily be Judaism, or Islam? Or Japan's native religion, Shintoism? What about Buddhism, Hinduism, or even Protestantism?" She shook her head. "I just don't understand it. I hate the feeling of imprisonment I get whenever I attend a service...I feel like a pawn, a puppet, subject only to the will of something I've been told I _have_ to believe in."

Kaiba smirked – he knew an old grievance when he heard it. He also had to hand it to Krystal – she had the guts to be doubtful surrounded by a faith where doubt was grounds for alienation and torment. She also, he realized, put into words he had never found before his own feelings about religion. Not many people would have guessed that he was even remotely religious, but Seto Kaiba had many secrets that the world didn't know, and he didn't plan on letting them know. "So you've had a fairly normal schooling," he continued, "except, I assume, in the sciences," here Krystal nodded her affirmation, growling slightly as she did so, "so let's move on. What about how you were raised?"

At this, Krystal's growl became audible. "How much do you know?"

Kaiba sensed that they were entering touchy territory, but did not deter. If the girl had to live with him, he wanted to know as much about her as he could. "That your mother died giving birth to you, and your father abandoned you to the streets, where you were picked up by some old bat who probably thought it her righteous duty to take in destitute children."

A fierce snarl flew out of the teenager in front of him. "That..._man_...is _not_ my father." she hissed. "As far as I'm concerned, I never _had_ a father."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. That kind of phrase sounded almost eerily familiar – he had said something like it often enough himself in reference to Gozaburo. "Fair enough. So what about this woman who took you in?"

Krystal let out a small huff. "There were about twenty of us, and she was in her sixties when she found me. The younger ones, and ones like me who had been with her since our earliest memories, called her _Ob____saN_; the older ones who hadn't been with her since they were very young called her Ms. Erika. And if you must know, she _did_ think it her righteous duty to take care of us, but she never forced religion down our throats. Sure, we all went to church on Sundays, Easter, and Christmas, said grace before meals and bed, but that was it." She chuckled slightly, closing her eyes. "Those kids...they were my brothers and sisters."

Kaiba closed his eyes, not liking what he had heard. _'Crap...this kid's more of a street rat than I thought.'_ "So...let me get this straight." he said aloud, massaging his temples. "You were raised with about twenty other kids on the streets of a religiously frantic city by an ancient old hag who probably had nothing more in her senile old head than scoring last-minute points towards getting into a heaven I'm sure she believed existed?"

Krystal stood, the anger practically radiating out from her. "That's not true. She cared for us as if we were her own goddamn children."

"But how did you know she _actually_ cared?"

Another snarl emitted from Krystal's mouth. "Go to _hell_, you fuckin' bastard." she seethed, turning on her heel and striding back towards the stairs. Kaiba let her go.

Krystal's 1st person+

Mokuba tossed me a pillow and a couple of blankets. "Here, use these. What did Seto want?"

I shook my head in an almost dog-like fashion, not wanting to argue as I made myself comfortable on the floor. "Nothing important." Silence...long, awkward, silence. Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore – I had to speak. "Hey, Mokuba...can you tell me anything about your brother?"

Mokuba paused, thinking. "Seto's very...proud." he finally said. "Unless you play games, he won't really pay attention to you. Specifically, you'll only get on his radar if you play Duel Monsters – Seto's a champ. The only person he's ever lost to in a fair duel was a guy named Yugi Mutoh a long time ago, but he refuses to forget it."

I shook my head again. "I'm really good at a lot of card games, but I've never played Duel Monsters. I never learned how."

Mokuba looked shocked. "You never even _learned_?" the middle-school student said loudly. "Seto's like the best in the world! Next to Yugi, I mean...Seto's actually lost to him a few times."

I smirked. "And...how would he react if he found out you were telling me this?" Mokuba shrugged, refusing to answer. "Do you play chess? That's Seto's second favorite game."

My smirk widened – there was a game I knew. "Chess to me is like Duel Monsters to that kid you said beat Seto."

"Well, that he'll like." Mokuba muttered. "But you won't really get him to respect you until you're a match for him in Duel Monsters. Y'know he once threatened to jump off a cliff if his opponent beat him?"

"Let me guess; it was that Yugi kid, right?"

Mokuba raised his eyebrows, nodding. "I'm surprised that you've never heard of Yugi, even if you _don't_ play. He's practically infamous."

"I told you, I'm not that into Duel Monsters." I said. "But yeah, I have heard of him. On my way here, you don't tell your brother this, but I met him. Sat down in front of his grandpa's store to rest, and soon him and everyone he hangs out with comes and we start talking."

Mokuba's eyes widened. "Don't tell Seto that." he said. "Seto...um...don't like Yugi too much."

"So I gathered." I replied dryly. "Him and whoever he's around, right?"

"Right."

I crawled under one of the blankets, and stretched out. "Well then," I said, shaking my head like a dog again, "he'll just have to get over it."

"Do you know what the hell you're saying?!" Mokuba yelped

I shot my new cousin a look. "Well, they seemed okay. I'm not gonna change for your big brother, or for anyone else." I said simply before smirking. "And _I'm_ surprised that he allows you to swear like that."

Mokuba blushed deeply. "Well...no, not _technically..."_

I smirked again, chuckling. "Get some sleep." I advised. "I have a feeling tomorrow's gonna be a very long day."

"You've barely been talking to me for ten minutes and already you're acting like my mother." Mokuba grumbled, climbing under the comforter pattered in chiibi dragons and knocking his nightstand accidentally.

"You've got your own phone in here?" I asked, eyeing the device on the nightstand more closely – I had simply passed over it on my initial inventory of the room.

"Yeah." Mokuba said. "You can use it when you need it, while you're in my room. I think when Seto gives you your own room, it'll have one too."

I shook my head, trying to take in still the development of living with someone who was wealthier at twenty-two than anyone I'd ever heard of. "I don't know if I'll take you up on that offer, but thanks."

Mokuba shrugged. "I don't know what else to tell you about my big brother. I think Seto left something for you to sleep in..." Finding something, he tossed it to me. Mokuba then yawned, turning over under the big plush blanket. "Well, goodnight then." He yawned again and promptly began the process of falling asleep, if his heavy breathing and motionless form were any indication.

Krystal lay down once the pajamas were found, but then heard something crinkle in her jeans pocket as she folded them – a piece of paper Yugi had given her before she left, with his phone number on it. She sat back up again, seeing Mokuba was about to fall asleep, and glanced at the clock. It was 10:30. "May I use your phone?"

"Hm? Go ahead, I said you could..." Mokuba replied, almost asleep already.

I waited until I was sure he was fully asleep (which didn't take very long), then picked up the phone and dialed the number on the paper. I stayed up a bit even then, gathering my courage. Then, before I could change my mind about it, I picked up the phone and fished out a slip of paper I had stuck in my pocket, dialing the numbers on it. A slurred, sleepy voice picked up on the other line. "_Moshi moshi_?"

"Yugi? It's Krystal."

"Wha...?" There was a small pause. "Krys, do you have any idea what time it is? Where are you?"

"I found Kaiba – I'm at his house." I replied, a note of slight urgency coming into my voice unconsciously. "And I know it's late, but I have a favor to ask you."

Yugi yawned widely on the other side of the line. "Can't this wait 'till morning?"

"Maybe, but I wanted to get an answer before I had time to change my mind about asking you."

A confused note entered the voice emitting from the speaker. "Well...what is it?"

I took a deep breath. _'Here goes nothing...'_ "Yugi...I need you to teach me how to play Duel Monsters."

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Itoko: plain form of cousin

ObsaN: formal form of grandmother

Moshi moshi: hello (on the telephone)

Well, I hope you all liked chapter four of The Dragon Clan! Mucho thanks and all the cookies she can eat to Chibi Chib, my one and only reviewer whom I don't know! As for all the rest of you, PLEASE leave me some feedback if you took the time to read this! Like I said before, I allow anonymous reviews, so don't hesitate to say something!


	5. Chapter 5: Lessons

Welcome, one and all, to chapter five of The Dragon Clan! The plot's finally started to heat up a bit, now that they've actually met…but the thrill and humor of the chase is too good to pass up, isn't it? XD So anyway, things will be moving a bit faster from now on, so I'm sure you'll all enjoy that.

In other news…THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH to the following reviewers:

kekame; My sincerest thanks…it is the highest compliment, I think, for a fanfiction author to receive for someone to say that they're wary of o.c.'s, but still think that it is a well written and enjoyable story. You rock my black marching socks and I hope you continue to enjoy my story!

Chibi chib; Isn't tension great, though? XD I'm glad I could make your night better! As the author, I aim to please my audience and reviewers – so I hope you enjoy chapter five as well!

Saru-chan; I know, I know, I keep forgetting to publicly thank you in the AN for posting for me – but I've been on my knees kow-towing and worshipping you for posting personally! TT and he's not a hippie – I said he LOOKED like a hippie, not that he WAS a hippie. Besides, Krystal's a street kid from a Christian city in Japan – how's she gonna know exactly what a hippie looks like?

**Disclaimer:** Must I continue to repeat myself? I DON'T OWN IT – Kazuki Takahashi-dono is the only one to claim such a right. And, once again, Saru-chan has posted this.

ch.5: Lessons

3rd person+

Upon her departure from Kenoshu, Krystal had been left with two items, which she treasured above all others. She knew the significance of neither, but it important thing was that they had been given to _her_, and her alone, by Obaa-san. The first was the necklace Krystal now wore – a surprising parting gift, as Obaa-san had been known never to have taken it off. What was stranger were the words she had said upon pressing the pendant into Krystal's hands: _"It is your time, my little_ _Kazeryuu...keep it safe and make it yours."_ Krystal had no idea what Obaa-san meant by it being her time or her order to make it hers, but at least she intended to follow one of her orders to the letter: keep it safe.

The second parting gift Krystal couldn't fathom the meaning of were Duel Monsters cards – about five altogether. Krystal, never having been swept up in the dueling craze, wondered even more at this gift. What use could she ever possibly have for them, she had wondered?

Now, it seemed, she had her answer.

At noon, she approached the Kame Game Shop, having made some excuse to get out. She tried to appear casual as she pushed open the glass door, hearing the small bell tinkle above her and signal her arrival, but she knew that it was obvious to anyone who was looking that nerves were beginning to set in.

"Ah, Krystal!" Sugoroku exclaimed when he saw who it was who entered his shop. "I didn't expect you back here so soon! Yugi!" he called up the stairs. "Krystal's here!"

"Coming, Grandpa!" Yugi bounded down the stairs only a moment later, a large smile on his face. "Hey Krys, how are ya?"

"Not bad...you?"

Yugi smirked. "Can't complain – I've got a student, after all!"

Krystal chuckled. "Yeah, well, apart from a grand total of five cards, your student doesn't have a deck to her name." she retorted calmly. "Trouble is, I couldn't get out with any cash."

"Oho! Yugi's teaching you Duel Monsters, eh?" Sugoroku reached below the glass counter and selected a pack of cards, then presented them to her with a good-natured smile. "Here you go, young lady! Free of charge!"

Krystal stood shocked. "No...I can't just take them! I just want to know the rules, I didn't want to build a deck until I could buy it!"

"Nonsense! You wouldn't dare turn down an old man's generosity, would you?"

'_Depends on the kind of generosity you're talking about...'_ Krystal muttered in her head, but nonetheless, she hesitantly reached out and took the package from the old gamekeeper's hand.

"Trust me, it's easier to learn the rules by playing than by having them explained to you." Yugi added as they ascended the stairs. "I've got some cards you can have too – depending on what kind of deck you want, of course. I'll show you mine as an example – it's a spellcaster deck. Get my drift?"

"I think so..." Krystal replied as they emerged into the flat. It mainly consisted of a wide-open, balconied room on the left, with a window that looked out onto the street. It had been converted into a game room, complete with comfortable-looking beanbag chairs and several game systems – there was even a mini-refrigerator upon which the TV was placed. Behind the place where the stairs leveled off was a set of double doors – Sugoroku's room, Yugi explained. To the right of that was a bathroom and toilet, then beyond that another door.

"That's the guest room." Yugi explained further. "My room's just up ahead, beyond the steps to the game room."

Krystal nodded, noting that the ceiling on her left sloped with the roof of the building, though it left plenty of room for a window, as she saw when she entered Yugi's room. A desk was against the wall under this window, and his bed was in the corner just behind it. Against the wall on the left was a mirror and a closet, which held inside it drawers and shelves as well as an area for clothes. Krystal's eye was caught by something glinting on the desk – an ornately decorated golden box, ornamented with the same eye that gazed out from her and Yugi's pendants. "Hey, Yugi...what's that?"

"Hm? Oh, that's the box I used to keep the Millennium Puzzle in, until I solved it." He smiled fondly at the golden inverted pyramid around his neck, then went to the box. "Now, I use it to store my most important cards. The others I have in a bigger box under my bed. Can you get them, please?"

"Sure." Krystal peered into the shadows, on her hands and knees, until she finally picked out the outlines of a medium-sized plastic tub only just shallow enough to fit under the bed. With a small grunt, she dragged it out as Yugi sat on the floor near her. "Here ya go."

"Great. Did you bring the cards you said you already had?"

Krystal nodded, extracting them from the pouch in her bag where she kept them. "I figured you'd want to see them." she said, handing them over.

Yugi spread out the five cards and looked them over, curious. For a moment, Krystal thought she saw another Yugi next to him; a transparent version of himself looking over his shoulder at the cards. This one looked older, though; more elegant and built. All in all, he was simply hotter to Yugi's child-like cuteness. His eyes were an entrancing shade, about the color of deep claret+. But the vision passed as suddenly as it had appeared, and Krystal realized that she'd only seen it while she'd been gripping her pendant. As soon as she'd gripped it, the vision had appeared, and when she'd let go, it had vanished as if it never were.

Before she had a chance to ponder this, Yugi had looked up at her. There was a look of awe in his amethyst eyes. "Where did you get these?" he asked in an awed tone, handing them back to her. "I've never even heard of any of them."

Krystal smiled as she accepted the cards back. "They were gifts when I left Kenoshu...so they're good?"

"Yeah, pretty good." Yugi said, leaning forward and searching carefully through the cards in the tub before him. "That Winged Dragon of the Earth is pretty powerful, and with that other monster, the Wildmage, it's a pretty sound combo. The other spells and trap aren't bad, either." He let out a deep breath. "So...let's start with the basics. What kind of deck do you want?"

many long hours later

Yugi's 1st person+

I hadn't suspected Krystal to have such a knack for this game, even if she does only have a basic knowledge of the rules. But she's a fast learner, working everything I tell her until she gets it perfectly, and an absolutely brilliant strategist. She can take any situation I throw at her, analyze it, and find a way out before I even realize she's played. It must come from Kaiba's bloodline, but Krystal has a lot less knowledge about the game then Kaiba. Although, the deck I put together for her as she looked on and listened to my explanations had some fairly decent cards in it as well, and I suppose that helped. However, she asks intelligent questions, and listens to my answers, applying them as well.

Amazed. That's the only word I can think of to describe how I feel. Amazed. Oh, it's not like she's perfect – far from it, in fact. She still only has a basic knowledge, and she makes mistakes, per human nature; but not many, and she never makes the same one twice.

3rd person+

Krystal left the shop about three hours after first arriving, carrying a newly built deck in her jacket pocket and a small but growing headache. "Thanks." she said to her small friend as he walked her out. "Hey, out of curiosity, do you play any games with normal cards?"

"Not really."

Krystal smirked; she was a master at most normal card games: hearts, spades, canasta, bridge, gin, poker, and many more mundane games. "Well then, I know how to repay your lessons." she said wickedly.

Yugi smirked back at her. "Once you've got the basics, the game really isn't that hard." he assured her. "See ya."

"Bye." Krystal waved over her shoulder as she walked off. Almost without thinking, she found her back at the Kaiba manor in a matter of twenty minutes. It helped her time greatly that, as much as her new guardian disliked the practice, she'd cut through various alleyways. _'So what if I did, anyway? I still got back, didn't I? But I'm hungry...where's the kitchen in this place?'_ she wondered as she entered, closing her eyes and lifting her nose into the air, searching for a faint aroma of food. _'I think it's...this way.'_ she thought, following the faint scent of food without opening her eyes.

"Krystal, I was looking for you." Kaiba interrupted suddenly, causing Krystal to whirl around, startled into a defensive pose. "Come with me."

"Alright..." Krystal said as she relaxed, confused. Had she done something wrong already? At least she had proved to herself that she hadn't lost her instincts – _that_ was a nice piece of information to have, and Krystal allowed a small feeling of pride to well inside her. _'I won't change...I'm the same street kid I always have been, no matter what these walls or the Kaibas say.'_

He didn't stop, or even slow his pace, until he reached an unused room near his study. It was there that he stopped – rather suddenly, so that Krystal almost ran into him – and opened the door. All the room contained was a window, a desk, two chairs, and a small-but-elegant table. "Lessons." Kaiba said firmly. "Until school starts, I'll be giving you lessons. This is partly for me to get a grasp of your knowledge, and partly a way for you to expand on that knowledge. Six days a week, just like school – Saturdays half days, and Sundays off. You'll be quizzed at the end of every week on whatever I've been teaching, and I expect results above my expectations."

Krystal crossed her arms. "That's a tall order. How low are your expectations for a kid like me?"

Kaiba didn't seem to hear as he stepped into the room. "For now, we'll start with the generic subjects – history, math, the English language, and Japanese language and literature. If I feel you're up to it, we'll go into foreign literature as well. But I won't go into sciences until I have a feel for your skills in those other subjects, since you told me that you weren't allowed to study them in Kenoshu. The better you do on a subject, the less time we'll spend on it." He paused by the desk, looking back out at her. "Once a week, most likely on Saturdays, I will also be teaching you game strategy. Did you play games regularly?"

"Kinda." Krystal replied, shoving her hands into her pockets casually as she stepped into the room. "I'm pretty good at cards – gin rummy, hearts, canasta, all kinds of poker, bridge, euchre, spades, your everyday games like war and go fish, as well as many types of solitaire..."

"Did you play chess?"

Krystal smirked. "A bit."

Kaiba returned her smirk without thinking. "What about a game called Duel Monsters?"

She shook her head, her smirk disappearing. "I've got a deck and know the basic rules, but I've hardly ever played." _'Which is exactly the truth.'_ she added in her head, excusing her lie to herself.

Kaiba nodded. "All right, then." he sighed, motioning for her to sit in one of the chairs. "Come on – there's no time like the present." As Krystal sat, he did as well, leaning forward toward her. "Now, we'll start with something simple. In what year did Columbus cross the Atlantic and 'discover' the Americas, and what country was he sailing for?"

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Claret: A dark or gray-ish/purple-ish red to a dark purple-ish/pink color, named after the dry red table wine of Bordeaux, France.

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There it is, folks! Oh, I'm probably going to put this in the AN before the next chapter, but I'll put it here, too – I'm a pretty strict follower of canon events. Except for ages, I'm going to be going pretty closely off of the scenarios in the Yu-Gi-Oh manga in terms of events and the character's pasts. I hope you've all noticed that I'm using the character's Japanese names – that's a result of my obsession with canon, and I also do my best to keep the characters in character, unless it is vital to plot advancement that they be out of character.

On the other hand, this is Krystal's story – not Yugi's, or Honda's, or Anzu's. Therefore, things may change in the other character's lives – the Kaibas are a perfect example. If you want a perfectly canon story, go read the manga or watch that crap 4Kids tries to pass off as a decent translation of it.

As such, I'm rather hesitant to post this chapter, as I don't know what happens in the final volume of the Millennium World arc – specifically, whether or not Atemu (a.k.a. Yami no Yuugi) gets his own body, and what becomes of Yugi if/when he does. I won't know until February, either, since that's when what I believe to be the last volume comes out in English TT. If anyone has read the Japanese version and knows FOR SURE, with absolutely NO DOUBTS, what happens, please drop me a review and let me know!

Reviewer is God(dess):) and suggestions for the plot are welcome too – just be fairly specific as to what you would like to see happen, and if I like it, I'll work it in. I want you guys who actually review to be involved in this story – I'm writing it for you! Ciao!


	6. Chapter 6: Scars and Smoke

Yay! Chapter 6 is finally here! XD Do you all remember what I said at the end of the last chapter? About not having characters go OOC unless it was vital to the plot?

Well, this is one of those times.

Kaiba is going to be VERY OOC here – but I promise it'll make sense, and that he won't be this way too often.

To those who understand…this story is my last tribute to Jenny. She should be remembered the way she was, not the way she became. +pauses for moment of silence in remembrance+

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or the song 'Behind Blue Eyes.' The former belongs to Kazuki Takahashi, and the latter to the band The Who. Saru once again posted this.

Thanks to:

Darthskelington: +laughs+ if you want to understand the characters better, I can lend you the manga when our AP English schedules and college preparations permit… T.T;;;; not to mention band……

Chibi chib: Sorry I didn't update this as soon as I wanted+bows+ I'm glad that you've been reviewing so much, though! And that you enjoy my story!

Shindou-colgan: +laughs+ Addiction is fun, isn't it? Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you like the story so much!

Ideas for plot are appreciated!

Enjoy!

ch.6: Scars and Smoke

Krystal's 1st person+

Almost before I knew it, the summer vacation I had arrived at the beginning of was nearly over. There was only one more week left before I had to face the second thing I had been dreading about coming to Domino – school.

Admittedly, it would be a bit easier than I thought, since I actually had friends now. It had been a slow process, but now I was starting to call Yugi Mutoh and his friends my friends as well. I had even picked up the habit of calling Yugi's grandfather 'Gramps' like all the rest of them did – sometimes. Mostly, I stuck with 'Mr. Mutoh' – but that was irrelevant. The more pressing matter, to me, was the package I had received just that morning, courtesy of Domino High School.

"No."

Seto groaned at my refusal. "Krystal...!"

"No! There is no way in _any_ of the seven _hells_ that I am wearing that! I'll wear the _boys_ uniform if I must, but _not that!"_

Seto growled, glaring at me. "Look. It's the uniform. So whether you like it or not, _you're wearing the damn thing!!"_

I growled right back at him. "I _never_ wear pink."

"For God's sake, is it really so bad?!"

"Yes! I never wear skirts, either! You can't do anything in a skirt!"

"Just put the damn thing on!" Seto snapped. "Who says I want you _doing_ anything anyway?!"

Another growl forced itself from me. A pink button-up with an oversized blue ribbon and a blue skirt...I _hated_ showing my legs, even if this skirt _did_ go down to my knees! If it had to be a skirt, why couldn't it at least be long? So what if only 'punk' girls wore long skirts – I wasn't so far from that! "Who says I'm going to do what you want?"

Seto threw up his hands, utterly frustrated, before snarling a curse and storming out of the room I had moved in to.

It was later that day, after I had calmed slightly from the disgust I had felt upon seeing the uniform, that I heard it. It was an American song...and wasn't that Seto's bedroom? _'I never pegged him as the type who listens to American rock n' roll...huh. That's interesting.'_ I recognized the song, and knew it well. It was called 'Behind Blue Eyes,' and the American group was called The Who. I paused outside the slightly open door, listening.

_No one knows what it's like,_

_To be the bad man..._

_To be the sad man..._

_Behind blue eyes._

_No one knows what it's like,_

_To be hated..._

_To be fated..._

_To telling only lies._

_But my dreams, they aren't as empty,_

_As my conscience seems to be..._

_I had hours, only lonely..._

_My love is vengeance,_

_That's never free..._

_No one knows what it's like,_

_To feel these feelings,_

_Like I do..._

_And I blame you_

_No one bites back as hard _

_On their anger_

_None of my pain and woe_

_Can show through..._

I moved slightly closer to the door, peering through the opening he hadn't bothered to close. Seto was kneeling on the far side of the elegant room, with the song playing on a stereo on his left. I couldn't tell what was on the wall behind him, but it looked like those shrines people have in their homes to honor dead loved ones. Something tugged at my heart...had Seto lost someone as well? There was so much I still didn't know about him, or Mokuba...

The chorus had finished for the second time, and now the song became more upbeat, shifting my attention back to it. _'Maybe...maybe he _doesn't_ like American rock. Maybe this song just...speaks to him. It sure seems like it...'_

_When my fist clenches,_

_Crack it open,_

_Before I use it_

_And lose my cool_

_When I smile,_

_Tell me some bad news_

_Before I laugh,_

_And act like a fool..._

_And if I swallow anything evil,_

_Put your finger down my throat_

_And if I shiver, please give me a blanket,_

_Keep me warm, let me wear your coat..._

I unthinkingly let out a deep breath as the first verse was repeated for the last time, causing Seto to turn his head sharply towards me. I winced, preparing to flee, but...he didn't even seem to care that I was standing there. His face was drawn into intense despair...it was the most emotion I had seen out of him the entire time I'd lived with him so far – even more than the scene in my room that morning – and yet he didn't say a word. He simply blinked, then lowered his head once more as the song began to repeat.

Cautiously, I walked in, my socks sticking slightly to the plush carpet, and came up beside him. I had been right – he _was_ kneeling in front of a mourning shrine to someone. The iei+ was of a young woman, about Seto's age; her hair was long and blonde, and she wore it loose to that it found it's way over her shoulders – not flowing or falling, but simply _being_ that way. She was slim, but not abnormally so, and it suited her. I could tell that, even though she was sitting down in the picture, she was only a little shorter than Seto, but again, the height suited her. Her face was kind and honest, and her eyes shone emerald green as she draped an arm around Seto's shoulders – Seto who looked slightly annoyed at having his picture taken, but smiling slightly nonetheless. They were both dressed very simply, but as with almost everything in Seto's presence, the simplicity was what made it elegant. She wore jeans and a simple white blouse, he wore khaki slacks and a navy-blue shirt that went perfectly with his eyes.

There was a silence between Seto and I for a long time, penetrated only by the continuing music. Finally, I kneeled down beside him as he moved to light one of the sticks of incense. Immediately, the scent of jasmine filled the air. Neither of us spoke. "Who was she?" I finally asked.

Seto didn't answer right away – at first, I wasn't even sure he heard me. After about five minutes, he swallowed slightly and finally spoke. "Her name is...was...Jennifer – Jenny." he said. But it was the _way_ he said it – so remorseful, so full of utter sadness and loss that even he choked a bit – which nearly moved me to tears as well. "She was..." he swallowed again. "She was the only woman...I ever loved."

I turned again towards the iei in the shrine, before closing my eyes and bowing my head as he did. "She seems...very nice." _'Do'h! What a stupid thing to say! _'She seems very nice'_...God, I am so _dense _sometimes!_' Shakily, I took a deep breath. "If I may ask...what happened?"

Again, there was a long pause before Seto answered. "We were engaged, you know." he finally said softly, more to himself than to me. I dared not look up and see the tears in his eyes – I could hear them in his voice. I would, at least, leave him that dignity. "If...if it hadn't been for that _stupid_...illness..."

I glanced back up at the picture. Seto didn't look _too_ different, which probably meant this was taken soon before her death. But she – Jenny – didn't look sick at all. But who really knew?

3rd person+

"It was...cancer." Kaiba went on, keeping his eyes fixed on Jenny's picture. "In her liver...a relative of hers smoked...and _she_ had to die for it...!" He could still see her...her skin a sickly yellow with jaundice, it's cracked, stiff, parchment-like quality...the harsh guttural tone of her once musical voice, rasped almost beyond recognition...the way she looked so frail and brittle, as though she would snap if you merely touched her...and her eyes...those lovely eyes that had seen more of him than anyone else had...the disease had even tainted the whites of those eyes with it's color...

That bastard mother of hers...the one who smoked for so long that she now continued the disgusting habit through the hole in her neck..._she_ hadn't cared about Jenny. _She_ had just gone on smoking, not caring at all – she was at _church_ when her youngest daughter died!

Kaiba felt the rage, the injustice crashing back over him like a tsunami. Jen had wanted to be cremated – she had specifically requested that. But her mother – _damn_ that woman to the worst hell there was, if that was even bad enough! – had twisted everything so that there had been a funeral with a viewing (no one should remember Jenny that way! Especially not _her_ old cronies!), and then a traditional burial (which was the exact _opposite_ of Jenny's wishes). And then the old hag shipped her cronies back to her house for a luncheon! A luncheon – as though there had been a wedding service at the church instead of a funeral! Kaiba's tears became hot with anger; he had stood the funeral service for Jenny's sake, but after... "Why...why did she have to die...? She never did anything wrong...her mother smokes and she dies for it..."

"I know it won't mean much, but...I'm sorry."

Kaiba glanced down at his right, at Krystal. He hadn't been aware that he'd been speaking aloud. _'She...she would have known just what to do with you...she would have made friends with you, been completely at ease with you, made you feel welcome...'_ He wiped his eyes in an effort to stem the flow of tears. "You...you are very much like her, Krystal...in some ways...and in others, totally different."

Krystal bowed her head in acknowledgment – it was the first time he'd said anything like that to her. "I have been told, in many ways, I am very much like you as well, Seto." she said softly. "But I am also vastly different in some areas...isn't that the way the world is? We are all similar on some accounts, but worlds apart on others..."

Kaiba sighed, standing stiffly before shutting off the stereo and blowing out the flame. "She used to tell me...that that song was written just for me. I think she was right." Again, he turned his gaze towards the picture, seeing the smoke twirl and dance it's way towards the heavens, but never reaching it's goal before it dissipated and died along with the scent it carried. "It was six months ago...if she had lived...you'd have three cousins, instead of two."

Krystal also stood, bowing slightly to the picture. "It was nice to meet you...I hope I will get to do so again soon."

Kaiba swallowed. "Why...she's dead, Krystal...you'll never meet her."

It was Krystal's turn to wait before answering. "Those who are gone...never truly leave us, I have been told. Ghosts, angels...all that may be true, and it may not be. But their legacy...the scars they left on our hearts, and the memories of them we carry in our minds...that, to me, is immortality." She turned away from him. "I should go..."

Kaiba waved a hand. "Yes, yes, of course...go on. It's time for your lessons, anyway. I'll meet you there." Krystal nodded, then walked out as silently as she had come in; as silently as...well, a ghost. Kaiba shivered slightly. Her words had seemed too...wise, for someone her age. "What do you make of her, Jen...?" he asked softly, half unaware that he was even speaking, before sighing. Sometimes, even now, he fancied that he could still see her...that he could feel her warmth beside him, or hear her laughing in the hallways. She even touched him every now and again, he imagined – laying a gentle hand on his arm or knee when he was troubled, or whispering in his ear that everything would be all right. It didn't frighten him so much as it saddened him...it was all illusions in his head, it couldn't _really_ be her, his love, his Jenny...

Come to think of it, ever since Krystal arrived, those sensations had grown stronger, and more frequent. Almost as if..

Kaiba shook his head. That was preposterous...just because Krystal was here didn't suddenly mean ghosts or spirits existed...not even Jenny's. Shutting the topic out of his mind, he strode out of his room, turning towards the study in which he gave Krystal her lessons. She was wrong...as soon as he began teaching her science, Krystal would see how wrong she was to believe that spirits existed in this world. _'Don't talk to me about angels, or being saved after death...just don't. I am no coward, but...neither am I that brave.'_

A warm pressure settled on his shoulder, and he imagined that a voice more intimately familiar to him than his own whispered in his ear. _"Seto...why won't you believe her? Don't you believe that, if I could, I would come back to you?"_

Seto stopped, shaking slightly and not daring to turn around, lest he see her before him...he already knew he couldn't take that. "Jen..."

"_Seto...I'm always here, no matter what you believe."_ And, as suddenly as it had appeared, the presence vanished from behind him, leaving Kaiba alone...so no one could see the single tear which dripped from his face.

"Jenny...I love you..."

There...she was back, and he could almost feel her smirk. _"I love you too, Seto. Even in death."_

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Iei: a portrait of a deceased person, which is either carried around or placed in a memorial shrine in people's homes

Yay for OOCness and awesome rock songs! XD not really…I hope I don't lose any of you reviewers for that+sniff+ I love you all too much! And I promise this will all start making sense soon – there IS a plot to this story!

Reviews and plot ideas in theme are welcomed and rewarded with cookies!


	7. Chapter 7: Seeing is Believing

Not a whole lot to say here, especially if you read the little note I posted at the end of my bio. For those of you who haven't, I sincerely apologize for not updating this story as quickly as I want to, but the lack of response I'm getting out of it is not doing a whole lot to persuade me to keep going. Therefore, unless I can get five reviews FROM 5 DIFFERENT PEOPLE on this chapter, I may stop posting this story altogether and try another one of mine. I don't care whether the reviews are good or bad – I want the feedback.

**Disclaimer:** Read the one in the last chapter…it's the same as this one

Thanks to:

Chibi chib: You cannot POSSIBLY know how great you are as a reviewer! I was so afraid I was going to lose my entire audience by bringing Jenny into the plot – I'm relieved you like it+falls on my knees and worships you+

Saru-chan: No, Kaiba will not go insane like Pegasus did (come on, people, I'm not the only one who thinks that, right, right?).

Ideas for plot are appreciated!

Enjoy!

ch.7: Seeing is Believing

Krystal's 1st person+

He was late.

_Again._

I growled irritably as I stalked around the room Seto was _supposed_ to be giving me lessons in. This was the eighth time this month that he, the teacher, had been late. Wasn't I, the student, supposed to be the one always ditching class? My formal schooling started the day after tomorrow, for crying out loud! Frustrated, I aimed a furious kick at a chair, but only succeeded in hurting my foot. _'Where the goddamn hell is he?!'_

The door creaked, and I whirled around, growling. "It's about _time_ –! "

No one was at the door.

My stalking ceased – the door was open, so why wasn't someone there? It couldn't have been a draft – this damn house was so well protected against it that even with the windows open it never seemed any cooler. But now, inexplicably, it was suddenly freezing – in August! _ 'What the hell is going on?!'_ "Who's there?" I called out, trying to sound braver than I felt. Something was clearly not right.

No answer.

Unconsciously, I backed up, my hand reaching for my necklace. "This isn't funny, Mokuba!" I yelled again, my fingers curling around the golden pendant at my neck. "Now show yourself!"

"_Alright then."_

This was bad – this was _very_ bad! I could _feel_ the beads of sweat forcing themselves out of my pores, slicking my shaking palms, and preparing to drip into my eyes. My breath was growing ragged and harsh...in _fear_. I knew for a _fact_ that the last time I had been this terrified, I was four and had damn good reasons for being scared. "Y-you...you're..."

The woman from Seto's iei, Jenny, placed a hand on her hip. _"What's wrong? You said before you wanted to meet me again, and just now commanded me to show myself. So I don't see the problem."_

I had to calm down – I was trembling so hard that I could hardly stand. _'I never expected to _actually_ meet her! And she…a ghost, is...is _chastising_ me?'_ A small gulp ran down my throat as I fought to keep some composure. "You're...so you're Jenny? The woman from the picture?"

An irritable sigh escaped Jenny's translucent lips. _"I thought we established that already. Yes, yes, I'm Jennifer Madison Hawk, died at age twenty-one, fell ill when I was merely three months away from becoming the wife of Seto Kaiba."_

"Wh-what – ?"

A knock suddenly rapped from the open doorway – Seto's head soon poked in after it. "Who were you talking to, Krystal?"

"Huh? Uh..." I glanced back to where Jenny had been standing. "She's gone..."

"Who's gone?"

I shook my head. "No one...I must have been imagining things." I muttered, closing my eyes and placing my fingers on my temples. "Anyway, _you're_ the one who's late."

Seto scowled at me as he strode into the room, a folder of papers in his hand. "I owe you no explanations, Krystal."

"You were working, weren't you?"

"What of it? I _am_ the CEO of one of the largest gaming companies in the _world_."

"I know that, I just want to know what it is that you're doing that's so damn important that it cuts into the lessons you _insisted_ upon giving me when I came here."

"Look, unless you can come up with a decent storyline for a video game RPG, I suggest we get started." Seto snapped coldly. "You're getting your chess skills tested today."

"_That's_ why you've been late all the time?" I asked, shocked. "Because you're having problems writing a _story_?"

Seto slammed the folder down on the desk, whipping around with a glare and a poisonous edge in his voice. "It's none of your concern." he stated icily.

'_Damn...if looks could kill...'_ I thought, rubbing my temples once more. "So I'll do it, then."

3rd person+

This time, Seto did not explode – he merely scoffed. "I am _not_ going to entrust the future reputation of my company to a seventeen year-old. Now get the chessboard and pieces out."

Krystal stood stubbornly, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not just _a_ seventeen year old, remember?" she spat with an iciness to rival Kaiba's own. "I am a _Kaiba_, after all – or was that just a ruse? I can write a story – I've done so before. Tell me what you want to happen."

Seto eyed his young relative with a note of surprise starting to abate his frustration. Had Krystal...just admitted that she was a Kaiba? It almost sounded like...like she was _accepting_ it, the fact that she and he were related. That in itself surprised him most of all; he'd thought that he'd have to constantly fight and struggle with her until the day she moved out. _'Well...this is interesting.'_ He gave a small snort, shaking his head. "All right, fine – I'll see if you can do anything." he said, back to his normal, semi-emotionless state. "Later. For now, just get the damned chessboard out."

Krystal flopped face-first onto her bed that evening, strangely exhausted, though she hadn't been doing anything that would cause her to be. _'It must have been that thing with the ghost...with Jenny.'_ she decided, casting a weary eye towards the doorway and wondering if it would be worth the effort to get up and go take a shower. Being the only female in the household who wasn't employed to Kaiba, her room had been specially picked to have a private bath and toilet. As such, it was fairly large, but not overly grandiose. The bedroom itself had a purple color scheme, but nothing was too overbearing. The walls were a light, barely perceptible lavender color, while the desk in the corner and bookshelves which lined one of the walls were white, as was the nightstand beside Krystal's bed. The bed had a comforter that was also a light purple in color, and was patterned with blue, green, yellow, and pink butterflies and flowers. Krystal still smirked with the thought of Seto's surprise at her choice the day they had gone shopping for all the necessities and decorations – it had truly been a priceless moment. She did have a girly side, after all – it just rarely showed.

Sighing, she curled up on top of the comforter, suddenly cold. "So why'd you leave?" she asked aloud, having a decent idea of the sudden chill's cause. "And please let me see you – I feel insane enough as it is, talking to a dead person. It's so much worse when I feel like I'm talking to no one at all."

A light chuckle emanated from beside the bed as Jenny's ghost made herself visible. _"You're not insane."_

"The voices in your head always say that before the nice men in white give you a jacket that shows how much you love yourself and take you away to a nice, soft room in the happy house."

That caused a laugh to escape from the wraith of Seto's former love interest – a laugh that was surprisingly light and joyful for someone who was dead...surprisingly _human____"I suppose they must. To be honest, I think you're handling this surprisingly well, especially after your reaction to me this afternoon."_

"Did you always dodge questions this well?"

The translucent form shook her head. _"You're so stubborn...just like him."_

"Please just answer me...I'm tired, and I'd like to fall asleep so I can attribute this to a bad dream and therefore not have to worry so much about it when I wake up."

Jenny's eyes narrowed, and she gave a small snort. _"I left because Seto's not ready to see me yet."_

"What, does he not know you're here?"

For once, Jenny paused before answering. _"You won't understand, but I'll tell you anyway."_ she finally replied somberly. It was a tone so sad, so remorseful, that Krystal was moved almost to tears...just as she had been when she had seen Seto's face as he had been mourning the death of the ghost standing in front of her. This was a voice a tortured ghost should have, she thought – haunted, pained and hollow...altogether more _dead_. _"He is in such pain that, though I'm am constantly with him, he refuses to believe I am there. It would break him, utterly and completely; that is how great our love is. It transcends even the grave."_

Krystal felt her shoulders drop, relaxing as sleep urged her more strongly into it's grip. "So why come to me?"

"_You possess the Fang."_ Suddenly, Jenny turned, shifting her gaze upward as if listening to someone speaking, then sighed. _"I have stayed too long...I must go. But you can See...perhaps you can help Seto to, as well. Oh, and incidentally,"_ she added as her outline slowly faded, winking almost playfully, _"I agree with you about the school uniform. It's ugly as hell – and I should know."_

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Reviews are necessary to keep this going, remember! 5 different people – that's all I'm asking for. Good, bad, ugly, I don't care – but no flames. I will not even look at them, I can promise you that right now. If you don't like my work, you could at least have the decency to tell me that politely. Hopefully, I won't have that problem!


	8. Chapter 8

Ch.8: School Daze

3rd person 

The weather that August morning promised a sweltering day ahead, but Krystal nonetheless shivered slightly as she stood beside the vehicle which was about to carry her off. Finally, that which she dreaded was upon her...school.

"Come on, Krystal, you'll be late." Kaiba said sharply, walking around her side of the car on his way to the driver's seat.

Krystal forced a grin on to her face as she opened the door and slid into the seat, but it came out looking more like a grimace. _'What an honor...Seto himself is taking me to school on my first day.'_ Shakily, she took a deep breath as she removed the slim black messenger bag from her shoulder and placed it on the floor between her legs. _'And I should be grateful...Seto_ did _manage to wrangle a deal which lets me wear the guy's uniform...which is a hell of a lot more comfortable.'_

The ride seemed much shorter than Krystal had expected or hoped, but the car – the very same one she had tailed up to the Kaiba Manor – was fast and powerful, and Seto was an excellent driver. Almost before she knew it, Kaiba was saying goodbye and she was left standing in front of the gates to Domino High School. To her, they seemed slightly imposing, but...

"Good morning, Krystal."

Krystal turned sharply, surprised. "Oh, Ryou..." she said, letting out the air she had taken in with her slight gasp. "Ohayoo..." 

Ryou smiled good-naturedly. "Sorry...did I startle you?"

Krystal nodded. "Yeah, a bit." Invariably, her gaze was drawn back up at the school.

"It won't be so bad, Krystal." Ryou said, noting where her gaze shifted. "Freshman year, when I transferred here, I didn't know anybody. Think of it that way – you know people beforehand, and have friends." He gave a small, lopsided smile. "You're already off to a better start than I was, especially since you don't have an evil spirit living inside you like I did."

Krystal looked over at him, a mixture of relief and total confusion coming across her face. _'O-kay...and to think that he seemed so sane over the summer. I guess you can never really tell...but then, I'm not really one to talk, considering I think I saw the ghost of Seto's dead fiancee at least twice.'_ "Well then...there's no reason for me to be apprehensive, is there?" she asked, trying not to let her skepticism show as she glanced at her schedule. "Especially since I think I'm in your class."

Ryou smiled again, seemingly oblivious. "That's going to be nice." he replied, glancing down at his watch. "Come on, or we'll be late for it."

Krystal's 1st person 

I shifted uncomfortably, looking around the hallway at the other students as Jonouchi and I walked from our shared fifth period class to where he and his friends all ate lunch. The other students all had one thing in common: they were staring at me, openly or otherwise.

Jou put a hand on my shoulder. "What's up?" he asked. "You look like you're expecting someone to attack you or something."

I shook my head – there was no use trying to hide my edgy feelings. "Everyone's staring at me." I said quietly.

A short laugh broke through his wide grin. "Of course they're staring." he said, smirking. "Come on, think about it. It's not every day some new girl shows up, let alone when she's dropped off by Kaiba, of all people."

"Do they always stare like this when someone new shows up?" I asked, casting a wary eye around me. "Because they've been doing it all day..."

Jou's smile softened into one not quite so mocking. "Well, I'm pretty sure word's gotten around that you're Kaiba's cousin." he said reasonably. "I'm willing to bet that people are going to expect a lot from you, Krys."

I sighed heavily, shaking my head in my normal dog-like fashion. "Well, then I'll have to see if I can deliver their expectations."

Again, Jou let out a short laugh, and jostled my shoulder bit before letting go of it. "Welcome to Domino High." he said reassuringly before hailing Honda and Otogi, whom I'd shared first period with. I sat down in the hallway with them, talking with Yugi, Anzu, and Ryou, whom I had pleasantly discovered shared four out of my seven classes. He had always seemed like a sweet guy, and now appeared to be someone I could get more reliable help from if I had a question pertaining to the curriculum. But then again, considering that nothing was ever done in these classes but play card games, I didn't think that was going to be much of a problem.

Yugi laughed when I mentioned it. "That's just because it's the first week of school, and there's nothing to start unless you took advanced classes. Besides, Domino's economy is practically built around Kaiba Corp. – hence, all the city's money comes from games, so they're naturally very popular and important. It's just lucky that Kaiba Corp. doesn't sell cards or actual games, but only technology to enhance them – otherwise, I doubt we or any other store would be able to stay in business."

I fidgeted slightly, giving a weak laugh and deciding not to tell Yugi about the video game Kaiba wanted to create for mass-market. "Yeah, but I _am_ in advanced classes." I replied. "And I've been feeling like a dork all day because everyone and their uncle's asking to duel me, and I didn't bring my deck to school."

Yugi shrugged. "They're probably just testing the waters with you – don't sweat it, okay?"

I smiled back at the smaller boy as the Anzu and Otogi began walking up to us. "I won't, don't worry."

3rd person 

"Hey, new girl."

A sudden hush fell on the crowd of people in the area in front of the school, and all eyes turned inward. Every hair on Krystal's body stood as if at attention, nearly crackling with electricity and alertness. She knew a challenge when she heard it – this person was itching for a fight, and he'd only said three words to her. Still, she tried to remain polite as she turned to face the speaker – a boy around her age – but didn't hesitate to convey her readiness to accept his challenge, either. "Am I to assume you're addressing me, or is there some other girl who's just transferred to this school hiding behind me?"

The other boy huffed indignantly, well-bred features that gave the impression of genteel upbringing contorting into a look of utter disdain. "Who the hell do you think you are, coming in here and acting like you own the place?" he demanded, giving her a rough shove. "Just because you're related to Kaiba doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want, you know."

"Who the hell are you to accuse me of it?" Krystal snarled back, unconsciously bracing herself for a fight. She knew she was on her own for this one – the school day had only just ended, so no one else was out front yet. There would be no one to stop her from beating the crap out of this guy. "I've done nothing wrong."

At this, a small smile crossed the thin lips of her enemy. They soon parted, emitting a tiny chuckle. It grew, louder and louder, into a full, hearty laugh. "A Kaiba, done nothing wrong! Ha! That's the biggest lie I've ever heard!"

Krystal's eyes narrowed. "So I suppose now you're going to go on a rant about how the Kaiba family wronged you in some obscure way that, because I had absolutely _nothing_ to do with it, I really don't care about before you attempt to beat the shit out of me?" she hissed, clenching her fists. "I'll have you running with your tail between your legs faster than you can blink if you think you're gonna even land a scratch on me."

A scoff rose from the boy and he held something small and rectangular up as he took a step towards her – a deck of Duel Monsters cards. "I'm told that here in Domino, you people settle everything with card games. Is that right?"

Krystal snarled again, making no attempt at a reply.

"Well then..." he continued, opening his eyes to stare expressionlessly at her, "since you sound so much like an animal, I suppose it _is_ only right that I thrash you like one."

"Try it and die, asshole."

"It's a shame – I thought, as a Kaiba, your precious _pride_ would have forced you into a match of this idiotic children's card game."

"My pride and what I do with it is none of your concern, you moronic bastard."

Sea-green eyes widened in rage as the last word was spat out of her mouth, and a vein began to pulse oh-so-subtly in his neck. "Never..." he spoke in a cold rage, "call me...a BASTARD!" Catlike, he sprang towards Krystal, who snarled and struck.

By the time Kaiba arrived to pick up Krystal, it was a scene of mass chaos. Jou and Honda, who had managed to show up before the school authorities and who were the only ones brave enough to dive into the fray and attempt to stop it (resulting in a few minor injuries on each of their parts – the rest of the group had just stood there for a while stupidly, then ran to get help), were being forced back by said authorities – who didn't look too good themselves – and Krystal's furious assault. Krystal herself was locked in a mutual grip with the boy she was fighting, her face and arm bloody from where his teeth had suck into her biceps and her knee repeatedly slamming into his crotch as her forehead connected with his nose with a sickening crunch.

Kaiba wasted no time in striding up to the writhing, tangled bodies, reaching in, and attempting to effortlessly swipe Krystal away from her attack. He was greeted, however, by Krystal arching her back like a cat and swinging her free leg to connect with his calf – it was hard enough so that he stumbled and swore under his breath, but not so hard that he wasn't able to grab it and _then_ be able to drag her away. "WHAT THE _HELL_ IS GOING ON?!" he bellowed, grabbing Krystal by her ponytail when she still wouldn't respond.

The sharp pain at the back of her head made Krystal yelp, and slowly her senses began returning to her. Her vision swum as she watched the campus security guards subdue the boy who'd approached her, but it wasn't without some pride – they hadn't gotten _her_.

Kaiba resisted the urge to drag Krystal up by her hair to face him – barely – and settled for her shirt collar instead. "I'm going to say it one more time, Krystal – "

"Don't ask _me_." Krystal snorted, struggling to get out of her cousin's hold and stand on her own. She wobbled slightly, her head still a little fuzzy, but eventually managed it. _'Leftover adrenalin'_ she told herself, shaking her head. That, however, only succeeded in making things worse. "_He's_ the one who came up to me and has some problem with your last name."

Kaiba growled as the boy was taken away, along with Jou and Honda (everybody else followed them). _"You broke his fucking nose!"_

"Bastard got what was coming to him." Krystal replied coolly, wobbling slightly again and glancing down at the dark rivers of blood flowing down her arm. "Hey...where did that come from...?"

Never before had blackness come so quickly or so completely to her vision – it was as though an off switch had just been thrown.

A low groan brought pain back into the blackness, and Krystal vaguely wondered what that place was called. Maybe...her head? At any rate, she was alive. The throbbing ache in the place-that-she-thought-was-called-her-head was proof enough of that.

"I hope you're satisfied, Krystal."

Krystal groaned slightly again. Now _there_ was undeniable proof she was still among the living.

"You are so damned lucky that there were all those witnesses around to testify that he approached you, and that he also struck the first blow."

Finally, Krystal managed to force her eyes open. Even the dim light seemed too much for her eyes to take in, but she forced herself to sit up. Half of her face rested groggily in the palm of her hand, and the other arm suddenly ached anew. Glancing over, she found it wrapped in bandages. She was in her room...how did she get here?

"You passed out." Kaiba said matter-of-factly, rising from his position near the side of her bed. "That kid must be as insane as you are – he was about to tear the meat off your arm like a carnivorous animal consuming it's prey."

Krystal shook her head, clearing the last of the grogginess from her mind. "I'm getting soft," she muttered, "if something as small as a bite could make me keel over."

Kaiba sputtered a moment, then regained his composure. "Look, Krystal, you can't go around beating people up like that. I know – "

"You don't know anything, _Kaiba_." Krystal spat. "I fought for my very _survival_ back in Kenoshu. Several times. This kid threatened me. I responded to the threat."

"But this isn't Kenoshu, Krystal." Kaiba said. "There are different rules for different environments, Krystal. There are other ways of fighting for yourself here." Krystal snorted.

"Your idiotic children's card game? Thanks, but I'll – "

"I wasn't talking about Duel Monsters."

Krystal stopped, slowly closing her mouth. _'Different rules for different environments...'_ She gave another small sigh. "What are you talking about, then?"

Kaiba turned to face the door. "Tomorrow, right after school, come home. Reginald – my driver – will be there to pick you up, not me. I have a meeting I need to attend. When I get home, I'll show you something."

"Why can't you show me now?" Krystal asked, sitting fully upright. Kaiba shook his head.

"You'll see why. Tomorrow."


	9. Chapter 9

Ch

Ch.9: Tomorrow's Past

+3rd person+

Krystal kept a wary eye about her at school the next day, but the strange boy who'd approached her and nearly torn off half of her arm was nowhere to be seen. Someone in the office informed her that he was in the hospital for his nose. She knew she was a lot less inconspicuous now than she had been yesterday – something she hadn't even thought possible. In one day, she'd become infamous not only for being related to Kaiba, but also for putting a guy who'd beaten her up in the hospital. She supposed it didn't help having a large bandage wrapped around her forearm that still slightly showed blood through the wrappings. She'd kept her jacket on as long as she could, but...well, it was just too hot. She'd roast alive if she kept it on, a fate Jou predicted for her numerous times before she finally relented and took it off.

"Seriously, Krys, what was that guy's problem with you?" he asked her during fifth period economics, in the middle of one of their routine games of Duel Monsters. "Your move."

"I told you, I don't know." Krystal replied, sighing as she retaliated his attack. "Besides, it's not _me_ he has a problem with – it's the name Kaiba." A low, guttural huff escaped her as she settled back in her seat and crossed her arms. "And as I happen to be a bearer of that name, he proceeded to beat on me worse than I've been beaten on in years. A punk like him...I really am getting soft. Who the hell _was_ he anyway, Jou?"

Jou shrugged slightly, laying down a card. "His name's Raymond Hawk, but he makes everyone call him Rai. He thinks it sounds 'cooler,' or more Japanese, at any rate. Other than that, I don't really know a lot about him. No one does. Your move, Krys."

"Well, he seemed to have a major issue with my calling him a bastard...hold on a second. _Hawk?_ His last name's _Hawk?_ As in...?"

"Kaiba's dead girlfriend?" Jou finished, raising an eyebrow. "Yup, one in the same. I don't think they're related though...Jen was such an awesome person, ya know? The kinda person you could always go to if ya had a problem. Why she fell for a complete asshole like Kaiba is beyond me." he finished, muttering and shaking his head. "But Jen was from America, and I think this guy might be too. So it's a possibility...not a very happy one, though."

Krystal nodded grimly as she lay down her card. "I'm with you. And with this spell card, the Ryoshima Archer's attack is boosted by a thousand points – enough to kill your Tiger Axe. I win."

"What?! Aw, _damn,_ Krys, you're gettin' _good!_" Jou shook his head, running a hand through his hair and looking back at Krystal with a small smile on his face. "Well, hell – I haven't lost to anyone but Yug' in a long time. I must be gettin' soft too."

"I thought you lost to Seto all the time?" Krystal joked, holding out her hand.

Jou took it firmly, a smile on his full lips and a laugh in his honeyed brown eyes. "Hell no. I _used _to. Now, I just have the good sense not to duel him anymore."

Krystal laughed as well, then swept her hand across her desk to gather up her cards. Jou, catching the hint, followed suit, and a glint at his neck caught Krystal's eye – the crystal sword necklace he had worn when she'd first seen him. She'd never asked him about it...it seemed a strange thing for a guy to wear, especially a guy like Jou. Strange, that she'd never asked him...but then, she remembered, suddenly feeling the weight of her own necklace consciously around her neck, she'd never even shown him hers. "Hey Jou..."

"Yeah?"

"Your necklace...where'd you get it? It's really nice."

"Oh, this?" Jou smiled and held it up. "My girlfriend, Mai, she gave it to me when we started goin' out. I been wearin' it ever since."

Krystal blinked. This was news to her. "Girlfriend...?" There was no reason for her tone to be so hesitant, or sound so put out. But then, there was no more reason for that dull ache beginning to grow in the pit of her gut, that slightest hint of sadness to creep into the edges of her mind, either. "You never mentioned a girlfriend, Jonouchi."

"Didn' I? Really?" Krystal nodded, and Jou at least had the humility to act sheepish. "Sorry Krys...never occurred to me to bring her up. She's gone a lot, ya see, and – "

"Gone? So she doesn't go here?"

Jou shook his head. "Nope. In fact, she's outta school. Mai's about..." At this point, Jou paused, and blushed slightly, not meeting Krystal's eyes. "Twenty-three." he muttered. "She's twenty-three years old."

It was all Krystal could do to keep her face looking like a cow's – mouth agape, eyes wide and mindless – as Jou confessed his girlfriend's age. "Are you _serious? Twenty-three,_ Jou?"

Jou winced slightly, taking the sword in his hand and gripping it so tightly Krystal wondered that he didn't break it. "Hey Krys...don't be like that, please. I love Mai, I really do – an' I know for a fact that she really does love me back. I'll tell ya somethin', I believe in soul mates and the whole 'one true love' bit, corny as it sounds – go ahead and laugh, I don't care. All I know is that no one _but_ my soul mate could stand bein' in a relationship with the likes of me..."

"I'm not laughing, Jou." Krystal sighed slightly. "I believe in that kind of thing too. I was...well, I was just a little shocked, that's all. Twenty-three's a lot older than seventeen."

"Yeah, I know..."

Krystal gave a small smile and placed a hand on the dejected blonde's shoulder. "But you're wrong on one thing. I'm sure there are plenty of girls who could stand to be in a relationship with the likes of you – and what's more, it'd be an enjoyable relationship. You're not a bad person, Jou. You're sweet and kind and funny...and you aren't afraid to do what you think is right. I know I'm not an expert in the subject, but I'm sure anyone would consider themselves lucky to be with you. And if they don't, then they should, and it's their loss."

Russet eyes slowly lifted to finally meet sapphire blue, and there was a strange look in them: a sad sort of hopefulness, the kind that Krystal was growing more and more convinced that no human could possibly resist it. "Ya think, Krys...?"

Krystal nodded. "I know." Gods, _why_ did she feel so sad? Why did it feel like a plug somewhere had been pulled, draining away everything until she was left in a lonely void, only she was just beginning to realize it? It was as though Jou had been irreversibly removed from her life...but he was sitting right in front of her, she was _touching_ him, so how could he be gone? It wasn't like her to get sentimental, or to be so comforting in matters of love, either. The slightest shiver raced through her. What was going on?

Jou gave a small 'heh' and smiled. "Thanks, Krys. I didn' know you could be so..." He paused, as though trying to find the right word.

Krystal shook herself out of her previous slump and huffed, removing her hand from the blonde's shoulder. "So _what,_ Jonouchi Katsuya?"

Jou gave another small laugh as the bell rang and he stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "So romantic."

By the time Krystal got back from school, her head was throbbing. Her? Romantic? Not possible. All she had been trying to do was cheer up Jou, that's all. A little pep talk, nothing more. Was that really romantic? It was her own fault she'd had to talk like that, anyway, with her reaction to this woman Mai's age. But...there was the way she had felt when he'd first mentioned the word 'girlfriend' – how to explain that? It wasn't like she could blame it on lunch, Econ was right before it...

Blinded by thoughts, she almost didn't notice Seto as she entered – but when she saw him, her brain got a fresh new shock to comprehend, as if it needed any more. Seto was clad in a loose white v-necked shirt which wrapped around his torso, as well as wide-legged pants for easy movement and toe socks. "Good, you're home." he said calmly as Krystal stared at him. "Go put your things down and change into something easy to move around in."

Slowly, Krystal blinked once, twice, then shook her head. "You look like a bad samurai cosplayer, you know that? All you're missing is the sword."

Seto's eyes narrowed. "Krystal..."

"All right, all right, I'm going." Krystal sighed, heading up the stairs slowly and wondering if this had anything to do with what Seto had promised to show her today.

Krystal emerged from her room a few minutes later clad in a pair of sweatpants and a loose, though not oversized, shirt. Seto was still waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, but as soon as he saw her, he turned and walked off. Hurriedly, Krystal followed, though her mind had gone back to the events of her fifth period and what had happened between her and Jou. She barely noticed that she was entering an area of the manor that she'd never been to before, an area that was below the main manor. It was almost like another storey, except underground and not nearly as large or furnished.

After several long hallways and more than a few turns, Seto stopped outside a door that – strangely for this place, slid instead of swung open. It was that detail that finally got Krystal's attention enough for her to be fully aware of – not to mention surprised at – her surroundings. "Where are we?"

Seto chose not to respond right away, and merely slid open the door and stepped inside. "Well, get in here, Krystal, I haven't got all day – I'm getting behind with my work as it is." he demanded when Krystal didn't immediately follow him inside.

Krystal scowled, but slowly followed him – and with good reason. There had been only a few times in her life when she had been truly shocked, and this was one of them. Here, underneath the Kaiba manor, was a huge, old-fashioned dojo, with smooth hardwood floors, areas covered with mats for martial arts training, even kendo swords and equipment stored on and against the back walls. Large, wardrobe-like cabinets stood near the equipment, and Krystal suspected that they might hold live weapons, rather than just practice ones.

Seto was already standing in the middle of the room, waiting for her more patiently than he had before, as if allowing her to take it all in. "You know how to fight on the street, Krystal." he said after a few moments, again more calm than he had been before. "I don't doubt that. But there are other ways to fight, ways better suited for the life you now lead. Since your daily academic lessons from me have been reduced to twice a week, and your lessons in game strategy have remained at once a week, I know am going to give you different types of lessons three times a week – lessons in kendo, the martial arts, and fighting with simple weapons such as staffs. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you will train down here with me, while your academic lessons will move to Tuesdays and Thursdays." His eyes narrowed slightly as Krystal looked back at him, looking awed at the existence of this place, but determined and perhaps _too_ eager to learn. "I expect the same level of performance as you have shown in your academic lessons with me, if not better. Am I understood?"

A small, fierce smile twitched at the corner of Krystal's mouth. "Perfectly. When do we start?"

Kaiba motioned for Krystal to approach him. "Right now. But first, Krystal, I issue a warning."

"I know, I know, it'll be hard work, and I'll get frustrated and want to stop – "

"That's not what I meant," Kaiba interrupted in a low, but firm voice, "though when you hear what I am about to say, you will certainly realize that your statements are true." He swiftly approached Krystal, bending down and meeting her eyes squarely, holding them to his own. "Fighting these ways requires discipline, over your mind as well as your body. You must forget everything you already know about fighting in order to reach your highest abilities, or else you will not be able to fight at all. You will learn _control_, so that you will never hit too hard or too softly, but you will learn _when _to use that amount of strength as well. If you try and fight the way you are accustomed, you will fail, and end up being a worse fighter than you were before. That means that, above all else, you must _listen_ to what I am teaching you. Do you understand?"

Krystal nodded, but Kaiba could see her impatience – she was merely agreeing to get rid of him so they could start. Kaiba sighed internally – he'd had a feeling that this was how she'd react. It was as if he were speaking to her in another language...this would be so alien to her, such a complete turnaround from everything she knew, it would be impossible for her to understand it at first. Kaiba knew that she'd learn, in time...or at least, he hoped she would. For all he knew – though that suspicion was growing stronger by the moment, Krystal would turn out to be one of those people who just couldn't learn, or simply refused to.

It would take time...a very, very long time, from the looks of it. Kaiba idly wondered who's patience would run out first – her's to learn, or his to teach.

Krystal had been training with Kaiba for over a month now, and she was thoroughly fed up. Last night had been the first since her training had begun that she had actually hit something, and Kaiba had reprimanded her for doing it 'wrong.' When Krystal had tried to protest, saying that that was the way she'd always known how to throw a punch, he'd chastised her again for not listening to him. It was infuriating, having to give up years of skills and instincts honed on the streets in order to develop a completely opposite way of doing things in a studio.

And to top it all off, Krystal stunk at this new way of fighting. It made her feel like a worthless five year-old again, and that made her irritable, which in turn made her worse, which made her even more irritable. Worse, Kaiba had sworn Krystal to a state approaching complete secrecy about the whole affair – all she was allowed to tell anyone was that she was taking lessons – which meant that she couldn't even vent to anyone about the whole thing. No matter how much or how late she practiced, she never got any better.

"_I swear, you are _exactly_ like him when it comes to something like this. You two even sulk the same way."_

Krystal only jumped slightly – she was getting more and more accustomed to Jenny's late-night visits, though she still felt as though she were going insane for it. "If you loved him so much, why not just go bother _him,_ Jen?" Krystal sighed, curling up on top of her bed.

The ghostly image behind her gave a small snort. _"I already told you, he's not ready to see me yet. And besides, you need someone to talk to."_

"I do not."

"_Well, who else do you plan on talking about that episode with Jonouchi a month ago that you still can't figure out? Seto?"_

Krystal bolted upright, turning around to face the intangible figure of Seto's deceased lover. "What are you implying, that I've fallen for him? Don't make me laugh. Jou's a friend – a really good friend, to be sure, but still _a friend_."

Jenny sighed slightly, shaking her head despite the fact that she was smiling. _"You just don't get it...you can't see the connection."_

"Open my eyes, then, because I'm blinder than if I had no eyes at all."

"_Everything you're doing is just part of a bigger picture."_ Jenny explained, looking straight into Krystal's eyes the same way Seto did when she was obviously supposed to be understanding what he was talking about. _"Don't you ever stop to consider that there may be a _reason_ you came to Domino, to this house, and have become friends with the people you have?"_

"Please, spare me the 'everything is one' bull. I don't buy it."

Jenny's ghost huffed. _"Ever hear the phrase 'those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it'?_"

"Yeah."

"_Learn the lessons from your history, and the present. You'll need them later, and you'll never know exactly what it is that you'll need,"_ With that, she vanished, leaving Krystal alone to wonder what exactly had just been said.


End file.
